| Name of Staff Member |
Designation |
Category |
| Mr. P. Borpatragohain |
Survey Asstt. |
T.O. III (04) |
| Mr. D.K. Bhattacharjee |
Clerk Typist |
S.O./AD III (02) |
| Mr. Debajit Baruah |
Scientific Asstt. |
AD III (01) |
| Mr. Pronoy Borpatragohain |
Scientific Asstt. |
TA III (02) |
| Mr. Diganta Gogoi |
Scientific Asstt. |
TA III (02) |
| Mr. Laba Kumar Dutta |
Electrician |
Tech II (02) |
| Mr. Mridul Sarmah |
Laboratory Attdt. |
Hlp I (02) |
| Mr. Mohan Borah |
Labour |
Hlp I (03) |
| Mr. Mahendra Borah |
Cleaner cum Chaprassie |
AD I (02) |
Function of the Department:
The main function of the Transfer of Technology Division is to ensure dissemination of technical/scientific know how on tea production to the industry through its’ advisory services. These advisory services are extended through the networking of 8 advisory centres viz. at Upper Assam (Dikom), North Bank (Thakurbari), Cachar, Tripura, Nagrakata (West Bengal), Darjeeling, Terai and South Bank (Tocklai), covering the entire N.E. India. The Advisory Officers make routine as well as need based visits to the tea gardens and impart necessary technical guidance. To make the services more effective, zone wise Area Scientific Committees are formed for effective communication with the industry and vice-versa. These ASCs are involved in organising regular and need based seminars/workshops/ demonstrations etc. apart from highlighting industry’s R & D needs. The services provided by this division have helped the industry enormously in increasing/sustaining tea productivity and quality. The advisory services also include soil testing, publication of bulletins/manual and conducting regional field trials.
Activities:
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Advisory visits: Each advisory officer has to make two routine visits to each of the TRA member gardens under his/her area of functioning in a year according to a planned Activity Programme prepared and circulated at the beginning of the year. Besides, need based special visits also to be paid to the member estates in addition to the routine visits.
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The Area Scientific Committees (ASC): For smooth running of the advisory services each branch of TRA located at various regions has got an ASC constituted by senior planters from each sub area under the co-ordination of the local advisory officer. The basic purpose of these committees is to discuss the local problems of tea plantations and to provide necessary feed back to TRA scientists. These committees have been serving the purpose in a very effective manner.
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Joints Area Scientific Committee Meeting (JASC): Joint Area Scientific Committee Meeting is held in alternate year in different tea growing areas of N.E. India. In such meetings problems of the host area are discussed among the planters from different tea growing areas and Tocklai scientists to find out appropriate solution. In such meetings the planters and the scientists get an opportunity for close interaction and on the spot study regarding various problems and solutions of tea plantations.
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Workshops & seminars: Annually two workshops one on early weather operations and another on cold weather operations are generally held in every 7 regions.
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Field demonstration & Training: Grass root level training is very important for proper implementation of technology. For that each advisory officer has to conduct need based field demonstration programme in their respective areas in various aspects for Field Supervisors & Sirdars.
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Five months tea training course: Two training courses every year of 5 months duration have been offered by this division for the executive trainees from the member gardens to equip themselves with the latest technical know how on tea cultivation. This training course includes every aspects of field as well as processing technology of tea.
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Lecture Course on Field Management: Every year two lecture courses of 4-5 days duration are being organised each at Tocklai and Nagrakata. The basic purpose of this course is to refresh the knowledge of the garden executives on various field related operations with the latest technologies.
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Lecture Course on Drainage: Drainage is a very serious problem in tea plantation and is aggravating every year affecting the productivity of tea. Therefore, one course of 3 days duration is being organised by this division at Tocklai to make the garden executives aware of the problem and to solve in an effective manner.
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Special Lecture Course on Plant Protection: Keeping in view of the aggravating pest & disease problems in tea plantation, one special Lecture Course was organised on Plant Protection to make the planters up-to-date on all relevant issues relating to plant protection. The programme was attended by 30 planters and reported to be very productive.
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j) Special Training Course for NABARD official: One special 2 days training course on tea cultivation was organised for the benefit of 37 nos. NABARD officials during 2006/07. The course included every aspects of tea cultivation, it’s economics, tea marketing etc.
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k) Soil analysis: As a part of advisory services our advisory branches have been regularly testing soil for the member gardens and provide necessary suggestions for improvement of s oil health. Our laboratories also soil suitability certificate for replanting/ replacement planting.
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l) Green leaf production: Besides advisory activities our advisory officers are also looking after green leaf production in Head Quarter as well as in out stations.
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m) Meteorological Observation: This division is maintaining one of the oldest and upgraded weather stations in entire NE India. All the out stations under the control of this division have been recording daily meteorological observation. Compilation of these data has been taken up centrally at Tocklai. Digitalisation of these data is ongoing.
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n) Projects in hand: With a view to find out a lasting solution of various water management problems in wet season, an investigative project using satellite based remote sensing and GIS was taken up under the 10th Plan project funded by Tea Board. Even though the project was basically under Production Division, the practical part of the study was done by this division and several interesting and valuable results could be found out. The project is going to be ended by March’2008.
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o) List of Publications:
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Quarterly advisory bulletins: 4 nos. every year are published regularly by all the TRA branches including Tocklai by this division.
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Field Management in Tea has been updated regularly every year.
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Updated versions of handouts are being regularly published in each and every workshops/seminars by the division.
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Monthly bulletins on weather and crop compiling the data from all the branches are being published on the TRA website regularly since 2006/07.
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“Manual on Tea Culture” for the 5 months training course had been updated regularly every year till 2005-06.
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Drainage in Tea.
Thrust areas:
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Transfer of technology to the member estates through effective Advisory services.
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Training of estate executives through courses, workshops, seminars etc.
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Creation of database for evaluation of various agro-techniques recommended by Tocklai.
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Performance analysis of individual estates to give necessary technical guidance.
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Publications in a simplified and handy manner for planters use.
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