Question : Promotion of Cooperative Activities

(a) the details of schemes undertaken by the Government to promote cooperative activities, State-wise;

(b) whether the Government is planning to implement any special scheme to increase cooperative activities in the agriculture sector, if so, the details thereof;

(c) the details of objectives of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS);

(d) the aims and objectives behind digitalizing of PACS and the details of the expected possible benefits post digitalization of PACS; and

(e) the details and status of the digitization of PACS?

MINISTER OF COOPERATION
???????? ?????? (SHRI AMIT SHAH)

(a) Ministry of Cooperation is implementing Central Sector Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (CSISAC) for development of Cooperatives and deepening cooperative movement in the country through cooperative education and training. State wise details of the assistance to cooperatives through State Government by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) under CSISAC Scheme is at Annexure-I.
(b) Ministry is in the process of formulating new schemes for the cooperative sector. These schemes will benefit cooperatives engaged in all sectors of the economy.
(c) Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) are primary cooperative societies owned by farmers, rural artisans etc. They lie at the bottom of three- tier Short Term Cooperative Credit Structure operating in the country. Their objectives is to cater to credit need of their members, supply inputs like seed, fertilizers etc.,crop procurement, extend selected credit services to members, marketing of agricultural produce etc. Further, objectives of a primary cooperative society are governed by their bye-laws which are registered under the Cooperative Acts of the respective States.
(d) The aims, objectives and benefits of digitalizing PACS are to bring efficiency, accountability, transparency in their working and help transform them into multi-purpose organizations.
(e) Government is formulating a project for the Computerization of PACS coveringall States/UTs in the country. In this project 63,000 PACS are to be computerized along with training, handholding and support system. In the Budget for 2022-23, Rs. 350 crore have been earmarked for the said project. As informed by NABARD, Telangana has completed computerization of PACS and Uttarakhand is in the process of computerization of PACS.