Bhubaneswar: To meet the increasing credit demands of rural farmers, Odisha Government has initiated a significant drive to establish new Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large-Area Multipurpose Societies (LAMPS), while also bolstering their existing infrastructure.
The Department of Cooperation (DoC) recently held a crucial meeting to outline the strategy for identifying Gram Panchayats ripe for new PACS.
The DoC has established clear parameters for this expansion:
- Ideal Coverage: The aim is to have at least one PACS in every Gram Panchayat. However, larger or more densely populated Panchayats may support multiple PACS if feasible.
- Overcoming Barriers: New PACS can be considered where physical and geographical obstacles like mountains, rivers, or dense forests impede farmers’ access to their current society.
- Reducing Travel Burden: If farmers must travel more than 10 km to reach an existing PACS, the possibility of forming a new one in their vicinity will be explored.
- Population and Irrigation Needs: Areas with assured irrigation facilities and a substantial farmer population are also prime candidates for new PACS.
Given these directives, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) has instructed all Deputy Registrars of Cooperative Societies (DRCSs) to conduct a thorough assessment within their jurisdictions.
They are required to submit comprehensive feasibility reports for new PACS without delay.
Currently, Odisha has 2,495 PACS and 215 LAMPS serving 6,794 panchayats. This places the state at the lower end among 14 large states with 2,000 or more PACS.
For context, Maharashtra boasts 21,181 PACS, followed by Gujarat (8,535), Bihar (8,463), and West Bengal (7,405), highlighting the significant scope for expansion in Odisha.