Vivek Mishra
The central government has urged states to ensure timely fund release and recruitment for vacant posts as it prepares to upgrade 300 priority Krishi Vigyan Kendras by March 2027. The government has also emphasised the role of states in contributing to the National Pension System and retirement benefits for Krishi Vigyan Kendra employees. A review meeting chaired by Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on September 7, 026 discussed strengthening infrastructure and logistics at Krishi Vigyan Kendras, or KVKs, and ensuring regular financial support and adequate human resources. The government also said issues relating to fund-flow mapping and delays in fund release had emerged in some states.
The issue is significant because the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) High Power Committee on Management of Krishi Vigyan Kendras had pointed to the need to strengthen human resources and financial management about 13 years ago.
Vacant posts flagged earlier
The ICAR committee’s 2013 report made clear recommendations on recruitment at KVKs. It said host institutions should ensure recruitment to all sanctioned posts. It also recommended that KVKs should not be approved or given annual grants unless the respective state government agreed to fill all sanctioned positions.
The committee had also recommended that employees appointed to KVKs should not be transferred for at least five years. It called for strengthening promotion systems and post-retirement benefits, including gratuity and a contributory provident fund. This means several institutional issues flagged by the ICAR committee in 2013 — vacant posts, financial benefits and staff stability — have again come to the fore in the 2026 review meeting.
731 centres, 638 districts
According to ICAR, India currently has 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras covering 638 rural districts. KVKs are key hubs for training farmers, demonstrating new agricultural techniques in the field and carrying technical information between agricultural scientists and farmers. Previous government impact assessments have also shown the reach and utility of these centres. According to an assessment by the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, cited by ICAR, an average KVK reached 43 villages and about 4,300 farmers.
The assessment found that technologies adopted from KVKs led to increased productivity in 42 per cent of cases and higher crop income in 33 per cent of cases. About 20 per cent of respondents also reported a reduction in farming labour or effort. These figures, however, should not be read as evidence of a nationwide increase in farmers’ incomes. They refer to results reported by farmers who adopted technologies through KVKs.
Performance gaps
A government assessment categorised KVKs by performance, placing 43 per cent of centres in category A, 48 per cent in category B, 8 per cent in category C and 1 per cent in category D. The assessment noted problems such as vacant staff positions and new or incomplete infrastructure in category C and D centres. This raises an important question: as KVKs expand in number and responsibility, do they have the staff and resources needed to fulfil their growing mandate?
Timely funds matter
At the recent review meeting, the government set a target to upgrade the infrastructure and logistics of 300 priority KVKs by March 2027. Detailed project reports have been received from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Goa and Chhattisgarh. Other states are at different stages of preparation and implementation.
But states have also been asked to ensure smooth and timely fund flow to Agricultural Technology Application Research Institutes and KVKs. This is particularly important for seasonal agricultural programmes. If field demonstrations or training on new technologies take place after the relevant cropping season, their practical benefits may be limited.
The Pulses and Oilseeds Programme gives a wider picture. In 2026-27, the programme aims to cover 12,349 hectares through 353 KVKs and districts across 24 states. According to the government, work has been completed on 9,750 hectares. The meeting also discussed delays in fund release in some states.
Entrepreneurship centres planned
The government is also working on a plan to establish entrepreneurship and skill development centres in all KVKs by December 2028. These centres are expected to be linked to agriculture-based enterprises, technical institutions and the agricultural potential of each district. KVKs are also being given a role in district-specific activities under the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana. States have been asked to provide adequate financial support for this. This means KVKs are likely to carry greater responsibility in the coming years — not only for farmer training, but also for agricultural entrepreneurship, skill development and district-specific schemes.
