Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a mega national primary agricultural credit societies (PACS) conclave on “PACS as Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra” at Vigyan Bhawan on Monday.

The Mega Conclave is being organized by the Ministry of Cooperation in collaboration with National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).

Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr Amit Shah’s guidance, PACS were recently allowed to operate Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

Within a few months, more than 4400 PACS/Cooperative Societies from 34 States and Union Territories have submitted their online applications on the Government of India’s Department of Pharmaceuticals portal for this initiative.

Out of them, more than 2300 cooperative societies have already received initial approval and 149 of them are ready to function as Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

Additional Chief Secretaries (ACS)/Principal Secretaries/Secretaries of Cooperation Department and Registrars of Cooperative Societies of all States/Union Territories, and Chairmen, Secretaries and Pharmacists of those PACS, which have obtained drug licenses for operating Jan Aushadhi Kendras, will also participate in the Mega Conclave.

Live streaming of the ‘National PACS Mega Conclave’ will be done on major social media platforms, including YouTube, etc.

The Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras (PMBJKs) provide quality generic medicines to general public, which cost 50-90 per cent less than the branded medicines available in the open market. More than 2000 types of generic medicines and around 300 surgical items are made available through these Kendras to common citizens at affordable prices.

This initiative will provide new opportunities to PACS for diversification and expansion of their economic activities, thus leading to increase in the incomes of millions of small and marginal farmers associated with them. It will also help in creating new employment opportunities in rural areas.

Functioning as the foundation of the cooperative movement in the country, PACS are actively serving millions of small and marginal farmers in rural areas. Ministry of Cooperation is continuously striving to realize the Prime Minister’s vision of “Sahakaar-se-Samriddhi”.

Computerization of PACS is going on across the country, under which, PACS are being linked to NABARD through an ERP-based common national software. In order to diversify the business activities of PACS and improve their operational efficiency, Model Byelaws have been prepared for them.

A new National Cooperative Database and New National Cooperative Policy are also being formulated to aid in policy making for the development of cooperative sector. To give an impetus to production of quality seeds, organic products and promote exports, three new Multi-State Cooperative Societies for seeds, organic fertilisers and exports have also been set up.

The World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector is also being implemented to ensure adequate storage capacity in the country for ensuring food security, under which godowns and other agri-infrastructure are being created at PACS level.

All these important initiatives will go a long way in strengthening PACS/Primary level cooperative societies, thus bringing prosperity to the lives of crores of farmers associated with them.