Uttarakhand: Chief Secretary took a meeting regarding Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), said that the economy of the poor section of the state can be increased through (PACS).
Chief Secretary Dr. S.S. Sandhu took a meeting regarding Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) under the Cooperative Department at the Secretariat. The Chief Secretary said that the economy of the poor section of the state can be increased through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
The Chief Secretary directed all the District Magistrates to complete the computerization work of PACS soon. He also instructed all the District Magistrates to inspect all the packs in the district. He also directed to review the packs under the district level monitoring and implementation committees. He said that by providing maximum employment to PACS, it can provide direct benefits to small farmers, poor laborers etc. He said that PACS should be given preference in allotment to gas distribution agencies and petrol pumps etc. He instructed the District Magistrates to submit applications for this by the date fixed by PACS.
The Chief Secretary said that under the decentralized food storage scheme of the Central Government, land for food storage in each district should be selected and allotted to PACS. PACS should be allowed to operate. He said that self-help groups should also be included in this. He also talked about inclusion of PACS in the procurement and distribution of Public Distribution System (PDS). Said that this will also shorten the process of buying and selling the products, because the products from remote and hilly areas are bought and brought down, then sent back for distribution in the hilly areas and remote areas. He said that this process will become easier by purchasing and distributing the food grains through packs and keeping them in storage houses. He said that middlemen will also be kept away, and the benefits will go directly to local PACS members and farmers. He directed to form more and more primary agricultural credit committees by including sugarcane committees in it.
The Chief Secretary directed to take action for the use of PACS by transferring the vacant schools and government buildings of the state to the Cooperative Department as per requirement. He also said that the operation of Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras should be done through PACS. He said that for this, information about unemployed pharmacists should be obtained from the State Pharmacists Council, along with linking the pharmacists with it, drug licenses should be made available. Also, space should be made available for Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras in all government hospitals.
The Chief Secretary said that work should be done to promote it by organizing regular reviews of District Cooperative Development Societies. The common service centers of the state should also be operated through PACS. PACS should also be encouraged to take membership of multi-state associations. He said that by strengthening PACS, we can strengthen the common man of the state, there is immense potential in primary agricultural credit societies to increase the economy. The profit arising from this is directly distributed equally among the members of the committee. Whatever benefit will accrue from this will go directly to the members of PACS i.e. the farmers and common people associated with it.
On this occasion, Additional Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan, Secretary Dilip Jawalkar, Dr. B.V.R.C. Purushottam and Deependra Kumar Choudhary and other senior officials were present.
