Matribhumi Samachar English
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah chaired a review meeting regarding expansion of cooperatives in the state, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh today. Shri Amit Shah also launched Primary Agriculture Credit Society (PACS) in the 33 districts to work as Water Committees in their respective districts. On this occasion, many dignitaries including the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Vishnu Deo Sai, Union Minister of State for Cooperation Shri Murlidhar Mohol, Deputy Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh Shri Arun Sao and Secretary of the Union Ministry of Cooperation Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani were present.
As part of ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation planted saplings under “Peepal for People” programme and inaugurated various development works of the Chhattisgarh government.
In his address at the Cooperative Review Meeting, Union Minister of Cooperation said that a cooperative society is being formed in every panchayat of the country to realize the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s dream of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi”. He said that the Chhattisgarh government should come up with a new public dairy scheme with a focus on tribal development. He said that the scheme should envisage PACS to work like a multi-purpose unit also catering as dairy and fisheries cooperative institutions.
Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that all 2058 PACS of Chhattisgarh have adopted the Model Bye-Laws. He said that the National Cooperative Database should be used to find the dry area in Chhattisgarh which will help in the expansion of cooperatives. He stressed that with computerization, every PACS should be made a Common Service Center (CSC) so that the benefits of various activities done by PACS can reach the rural people.
Shri Amit Shah said that there should be a contract between NCCF, NAFED and the state for ethanol production so that farmers can be encouraged towards maize cultivation. He said that the cost in maize cultivation is also low and all the maize of the farmers will be purchased by the central government at the Minimum Support Price. Shri Shah said that 100% registration should be done by PACS on NAFED and NCCF portals for the sale of farmers’ agricultural produce.
Union Minister of Cooperation said that it should be mandatory for every trader, PACS and cooperative society of every market to open an account in the District Cooperative Central Bank. Chhattisgarh has 4 cooperative sugar mills out of which only one mill has an ethanol production plant. Shri Shah said that multi-feed ethanol production plants should be set up in the remaining 3 cooperative sugar mills within 6 months so that ethanol can be produced from maize and sugarcane. He said, the central government will help in this regard. He said that there is a need to promote the cultivation of maize and pulses in Chhattisgarh and for this the state agriculture department should take initiative.
Shri Amit Shah said that at present, there are a total of 6 District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCBs) in 33 districts of Chhattisgarh and keeping in mind the expansion of PACS in the state in the near future, at least 4 more DCCBs should be established. He said that the Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Tribal Affairs and Cooperative departments of the state government should work together under the Whole of Government Approach for the economic development of rural and tribal people of Chhattisgarh.
