The Agriculture department has revamped the Agriculture Development Committees (ADC) at the levels of the Krishi Bhavan, the urban and rural local bodies and the districts. Apart from monitoring the agricultural activities in their respective jurisdictions, their duties include collective action in times of natural calamities, assessment of the availability of organic fertilizers and farm sector credit.

The department noted that the Agriculture Director had recommended the reorganisation of the ADCs on the basis of a revised set of guidelines. The 23-member Krishi Bhavan-level ADC has as its chairperson the local panchayat president. Its members include the MLAs concerned or their representatives, the panchayat vice-president, representatives of the farmer organisations, trade unions and three farmer representatives and a woman farmer nominated by the Principal Agriculture Officer.

The municipal chairperson or the Mayor will head the 24-member ADCs in the municipalities and Corporations. The district-level ADC is headed by the district panchayat president, and the District Collector is the vice-chairperson. Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from the district, MLAs from the district, district panchayat vice-president, municipal chairpersons and Corporation Mayors are among the 29 members.

ADCs at all levels are tasked with assessing the availability of bank loans and farming essentials such as seeds, saplings, fertilizers and pesticides, irrigation facilities, soil conservation and ensuring prompt aid to farmers in the event of natural calamities and resultant crop loss.