Amit Shah's Vision: Boosting Chhattisgarh's Cooperative Sector

Union Home Minister Amit Shah unveiled a plan to enhance Chhattisgarh's cooperative sector, focusing on ethanol production, maize cultivation, and expansion of cooperative societies. He emphasized central government support, registration of PACS, and developing multi-purpose units for dairy and fisheries. The initiative aligns with the vision of 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi'.

Union Home and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Sunday laid out a comprehensive plan to boost the cooperative sector in Chhattisgarh, with a focus on ethanol production, maize cultivation, and expansion of cooperative societies.

Chairing a review meeting in Raipur, Shah emphasised the need for contracts between NCCF, NAFED, and the state government to promote maize cultivation, according to an official statement.

He assured that the central government would purchase all maize from farmers at the Minimum Support Price, highlighting the crop's low cultivation cost.

Shah called for the complete registration of Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) on NAFED and NCCF portals for agricultural produce sales.

He also proposed mandatory accounts for traders, PACS, and cooperative societies in District Cooperative Central Banks, and endorsed the setting up of multi-feed ethanol production plants in the state's remaining three cooperative sugar mills within six months.

The Union minister launched PACS as water committees in 33 districts and urged the state to develop a new public dairy scheme focused on tribal development. Shah highlighted the need for multi-purpose PACS, catering to dairy and fisheries cooperatives as well.

He stressed the government's commitment to cooperative expansion, stating that a cooperative society is being formed in every panchayat to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi's dream of 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' (prosperity through cooperation). Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, and other officials attended the event.

As part of the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign, Shah planted saplings and inaugurated various state development projects. He urged the use of the National Cooperative Database to identify dry areas in Chhattisgarh for cooperative expansion and called for every PACS to be transformed into a common service centre through computerisation.

Shah noted that all 2,058 PACS in Chhattisgarh have adopted model bye-laws and emphasized the need to promote maize and pulse cultivation in the state, urging action from the state agriculture department.

(With inputs from agencies.)