Atharva Manohar Desai

PCU will be overall responsible for the implementation and co-ordination of Maharashtra Agricultural Competitiveness Project (MACP). The PCU oversees  the implementation of the Project which is headed by the Project Director, who reports to the Principal Secretary (Cooperatives & Marketing), Government of Maharashtra. The Head Quarter of PCU is kept at Pune as the heads of all the three line Departments are located at Pune. PCU, PIU (Agri Marketing), PIU (Agriculture) and PIU (Animal Husbandry) will work under direct supervision and control of the Project Director of MACP. The PD, MACP will have all powers to visit, inspect and call for any information, reports regarding the project work from all the PIUs and the field officers of the concerned line departments implementing the project.
The PCU is headed by the Project Director, who is assisted by a number of experts in various fields, viz. Chief  Finance Controller, Finance Specialist,   Procurement Specialist, M&E Specialist, MIS Specialist, Social Development Specialist, Environment   Specialist, Agri- business Specialist, Marketing Coordinator, Agriculture Coordinator, and Livestock Coordinator and  number  of  support  staff.  PCU, PIU (Agri Marketing), PIU (Agriculture) and PIU (Animal Husbandry) will work under direct supervision and control of the Project Director of MACP. The Project Director, MACP will have all powers to visit, inspect  and  call for any information, reports regarding the project work from all the PIUs and  the  field  officers  of  the  concerned  line departments implementing the Project.

Implementing of activities pertaining to market led technology transfer: Agriculture Department with the help of the field staff located up to taluka level will implement the activities. The active support and help of all the line departments will be taken. Each ATMA has a Project Director and the District Collector is the Chairman of ATMA which coordinates with all the departments. The Nodal officer from PIU (Agri) liaise with PCU and coordinates the implementation of various activities by VANAMATI, ATMAs, field staff of Department of Agriculture and other relevant entities.
Implementing of activities pertaining to Preparation and Implementation of Marketing Strategies: The Department of Agriculture, GOM, is responsible for group formation under ATMA for such farmer groups whose primary reason for coming together is production. The implementation will follow a community-driven approach with active participation of the beneficiaries and other stakeholders (including line departments, NGOs and private sector) in the design, implementation and monitoring of the interventions.
The Project activities undertaken for strengthening  of ATMAs, strengthening of VANMATI, and preparation and implementation of MSS are coordinated, guided and monitored by the PIU (Agri). Regular meetings of the State Level officers of line departments are conducted for smooth and successful implementation of the Project.

The MSAMB is the main implementing agency for this sub-component with the support and active involvement of the field machinery of the Department of Coop. and Marketing. MSAMB will appoint SPs for SMS service, MID, IPP and MIS for implementation of this program.
PIU, MSAMB implements activities pertaining to SMS service, market information display, IPP, MIS through a SP appointed by it.
The selection of SP for mobilization of farmers into PGs / PAs is done by PIU MSAMB. The SP prepares business plan for each FCSC which is submitted to PIU, MSAMB for approval. On approval, each FCSC performs community procurement and implements the business plan. The market field engineers and the SP supervise the works undertaken by each FCSC.
The program of warehouse receipt development by MSWC warehouses is implemented by MSWC whereas PIU, MSAMB will only oversee the same. However, with regard to APMC the activity is implemented by PIU, MSAMB. The procurement relating to MSWC and APMC is undertaken by PIU, MSAMB.

The PIU (Animal Husbandry) has one Nodal Officer, one accountant having computer knowledge and one messenger. Nodal Officer will have the additional responsibility of Community Extension Officer to look after community mobilization, as well as, social and environmental concerns at subproject level for a period of initial one year. If need be, an independent Community Extension Officer will be recruited on contract in PIU (AHD). The Accountant having computer knowledge and one messenger may be taken on contract. The procurement function and the accounting function of PIU AHD will be looked after by the officers from the department who will be designated as Procurement Officer and Accounts Officer for PIU (AHD).
The implementation arrangements for activities pertaining to AHD are handled by the PIU (AHD) with the help of the field officers from the AHD and ATMA. The selection of SP is done by PIU (AHD).