Question : MEETINGS OF J.S.C. IN I.C.A.R.

(a) whether the scheme relating to meetings of Joint Council Machinery and Grievance Redressal has been adopted by the ICAR;

(b) if so, whether there is a provision for holding HQ Joint Staff Council (JSC) meetings once in three months under the Chairmanship of Secretary, ICAR;

(c) the number of meetings of HQJSC conducted by the Secretary, ICAR since February, 2001; and

(d) if no meetings held, the reasons for not holding the same and efforts made/to be made to fix the responsibility in this regard?

THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE (SHRI HUKUMDEO NARAYAN YADAV)

(a) Yes, Sir.

(b) Yes, Sir.

(c) & (d) : No meeting of Headquarter Joint Staff Council could be held due to the following reasons :-

i) When the Joint Staff Council scheme was formulated, the Secretary, ICAR used to be Joint Secretary in the Department of Agriculture Research & Education and Secretary, ICAR.

ii) The position of the Secretary, ICAR was upgraded to the level of Addl. Secretary (Department of Agriculture Research & Education).

iii) Several of responsibilities of Addl. Secretary (DARE) and Secretary, ICAR were delegated to the officers of the level of Director or Deputy Secretary. As regards Chairing the meeting of the Headquarter Joint Staff Council, which is concerned with the local issues pertaining to the Group B, C & D employees of Headquarter, it was decided that this meeting will be chaired by Director/Deputy Secretary level officer in the ICAR. This arrangement was made in consultation with the Staff Representatives in the meeting of Central Joint Staff Council held on 22nd - 23rd January, 2002 in Jaipur.

iv) However, when the meeting was convened on 16th April, 2002 it was noticed that staff representatives went back on their agreement and abstained from the meeting. Only one staff representative turned up for the meeting.

v) In view of this no meeting could be held thereafter.