Union Minister of Home and Coperation Amit Shah on Wednesday inaugurated 10,000 newly established Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (MPACS), along with Dairy and Fisheries Cooperative Societies.
He emphasized that this milestone is deeply symbolic, as it was during former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ji’s tenure that the 97th Constitutional Amendment was enacted, highlighting his commitment to revitalizing the long-overlooked cooperative sector.
Shah also paid homage to the two eminent figures- Pandit Madan Mohan Malviya and Vajpayee on their birth anniversaries.
The HM highlighted that on September 19, 2024, an SOP was established, and within just 86 days, the registration of 10,000 PACS was successfully completed.
He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi, upon establishing the Ministry of Cooperation, introduced the motto ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through Cooperation), and emphasized that achieving this vision requires the presence of cooperatives in every Panchayat, actively contributing in some capacity.
He explained that primary cooperative societies are the foundation of the nation’s three-tier cooperative structure, which is why the government has set an ambitious target to establish 2 lakh new PACS.
Shah acknowledged the crucial role of NABARD, NDDB, and NFDB in facilitating the registration of the PACSs, and highlighted that one of the most significant initiatives after the establishment of the Ministry was their computerization.
He mentioned that this modernization has enabled their integration with 32 diverse activities, including storage, manure, gas, fertilizer, and water distribution, making them more versatile and effective.
The HM noted that these advancements require skilled manpower, which led to the launch of a comprehensive training module, which aims to equip the members and employees with the necessary knowledge.
He also distributed the RuPay Kisan Credit Cards and Micro-ATMs to 10 cooperative societies, marking a significant step towards empowering farmers.
The event witnessed the presence of several dignitaries, including Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal and Murlidhar Mohol, as well as the Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation.