Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently launched a groundbreaking pilot project, marking the initiation of the ‘World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector.’ This ambitious project encompasses 11 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) spread across 11 different states, showcasing a significant stride towards modernizing and strengthening India’s agricultural infrastructure within the cooperative sector.
The inauguration took place at Bharat Mandapam in Delhi, where PM Modi also laid the foundation for the construction of additional 500 PACS godowns nationwide. This initiative, supported by NABARD and led by the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), aims to seamlessly integrate PACS godowns into the national food grain supply chain, thereby bolstering food security and fostering economic growth within the agricultural community.
Highlighting the importance of modernizing the agricultural sector for a developed India, PM Modi emphasized the evolving roles of PACS, which are now extending their services to act as Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra. The project leverages the convergence of existing schemes like the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI), offering PACS the opportunity to benefit from subsidies and interest subvention for infrastructural enhancements.
Moreover, PM Modi inaugurated a comprehensive project for the computerization of 18,000 PACS across the country, a move aligned with the government’s ‘Sahakar se Samridhi’ vision aimed at revitalizing the cooperative sector and supporting small and marginal farmers. With a budget exceeding Rs 2,500 crore, this initiative will transition PACS to a unified Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) based national software, developed by NABARD to cater to the varied needs of PACS nationwide.
The successful onboarding of 18,000 PACS onto the ERP software marks a pivotal achievement in this project, enhancing operational efficiency and governance within the cooperative sector. The event, which saw the participation of Union ministers Piyush Goyal and Arjun Munda, also highlighted Home Minister Amit Shah’s commendation of PM Modi for his transformative efforts in the cooperative sector, including the establishment of a dedicated ministry for cooperation.
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