The Ministry of Cooperation has undertaken various important initiatives to ensure the long-term financial viability of Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (MPACS) across the country, including economically challenged regions, while simultaneously addressing the challenges faced by small and marginal farmers in obtaining affordable credit and quality inputs. These measures include the following:

1. 1. Plan to ‘strengthen cooperative movement in the country and deepen its reach up to the grassroots’ through establishment of 2 lakh new multipurpose PACS, Dairy and Fishery cooperative societies through convergence of various existing Government of India schemes, including National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), etc. with the support of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), National Fishery Development Board (NFDB) and State/ UT Governments;
   2. Computerization of PACS under the Centrally Sponsored Project with a financial outlay of ₹ 2,925.39 crore for enhancing their operational efficiency, reducing transaction costs, and ensuring faster loan disbursement;
   3. World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector, to create decentralized storage capacity and other agricultural infrastructure at PACS level, including custom hiring center, processing units, etc., thus enabling farmers to avoid distress sales and secure better prices for their produce;
   4. PACS as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Ssamriddhi Kendras (PMKSK), to provide farmers easy access to fertilizers and other agricultural services at a single shop;
   5. PACS as Common Service Centres (CSCs), to offer over 300 e-services to rural citizens at the Panchayat level itself;
   6. PACS to operate petrol/ diesel outlets and LPG distributorships, opening additional revenue streams for them and their farmer members;
   7. Strengthening financial inclusion through provision of RuPay Kisan Credit Cards, Micro-ATMs to Bank Mitra Cooperative Societies and their members for doorstep banking;
   8. Formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by PACS in cooperative sector, to facilitate market linkages and ensure that farmers obtain better prices for their produce;
   9. Guaranteed procurement from pre-registered farmers of PACS, of tur, masoor, urad and maize at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through platforms like e-samyukti (NCCF) and e-samridhi (NAFED), to promote self-sufficiency in pulses production and provide income stability to farmers.

Collectively, these efforts aim to transform PACS into vibrant, multipurpose institutions, ensuring financial resilience and enhancing the livelihoods of small and marginal farmers associated with them.

The Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL), a Society registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Society Act, 2002, has signed MoAs/ MoUs with following leading research organizations for receiving genetically high potential good quality breeder seeds of various crops and varieties for further multiplication of Foundation and Breeder Seed:

• • ICAR-Indian Agriculture Research Institute (IARI), New Delhi
  • Punjab Agriculture University, Ludhiana (PAU), Punjab
  • ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research (IIMR), Ludhiana, Punjab
  • ICAR-Indian Institute of Millet Research (IIMR), Hyderabad, Telangana.
  • G.B. Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand
  • Zonal Technology Management & Business Planning and Development Unit IARI, PUSA, New Delhi.
  • International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics, Hyderabad
  • World Vegetable Centre, AVRDC, Thailand
  • Ingenious Research and Development Foundation, Uttarakhand
  • Beej Anusandhan Kendra, Kalol (MoU between ICRISAT, IFFCO and BBSSL)

To address competition from private seed companies and to ensure the success of MPACS agricultural ecosystem, BBSSL is taking following steps:

• • Promotion of indigenous and certified seed varieties at affordable rates through cooperative channels.
  • Engaging and building capacities of Cooperatives / MPACS in seed production, distribution, and storage.
  • Field-level demonstrations and outreach sessions to promote trust in BBSSL seeds.
  • Institutional collaborations to increase research, access to quality germplasm, and localized seed production.

This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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RK/VV/PR/PS/HS

(Release ID: 2146716)