Lucknow, Sep 1 (UNI) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said that keeping in view the development of the state and the needs of farmers everyone should get banking facilities and the government has directed the Cooperative Department that mapping of areas where bank branches were required should be done.
Launching the B-PACS membership campaign and toll-free number, the CM said that UP is emerging as a good investment hub. “The ‘One District, One Product’ program has gained nationwide popularity. To achieve self-reliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has emphasised on the campaign of ‘local for global’,” he said.
He said, “The Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) department is actively promoting the packaging, design and marketing of its local products. A new competition has emerged, urging people to contribute to promoting the local product. If cooperative banks also join this process, it will help rebuild public trust in them.”
Yogi said, “We should make efforts to open a branch of cooperative banks there as well as work to link it with the BC Sakhi programme. Open banks in the first phase, make these banks profitable in the second phase and then in the third phase, we move towards the concept of One District, One Cooperative Bank. The state government will cooperate fully in this.”
He said that cooperatives have been an integral part of Indian tradition since ancient times. “But at one time this cooperative work was compromised and wrong people got involved in it, resulting in significant consequences for the most populous state in the country. We are all grateful to PM Modi, who gave the status of ministry to cooperatives after becoming PM again in 2019,” he said.
The CM said, “As the first Minister of Cooperation, Home Minister Amit Shah has worked to strengthen Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), its most basic unit, by linking it with prosperity. It is a matter of happiness for us that this membership campaign has been launched in UP from September 1 to 30 and a toll-free number has been issued.”
He said that the double engine government is taking the programme forward by linking cooperatives with prosperity. “Till now, PACS was limited to selling fertilizers and seeds, but now it is also being developed as a Common Service Development Center and other facilities will be available there,” he said.
Highlighting the importance of agriculture in a state like UP, Yogi said, “We have the most fertile land in the world and the best water resources. There are more than 2.61 lakh farmers who are associated with PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. That means we have 3 crore farmers who can join this campaign, take it on the path of prosperity and help connect agriculture with the prosperity of UP.”
He said, “Agriculture constituted more than 40 percent of the total GDP during India’s independence. Over time, this figure gradually declined and currently stands at around 16 to 17 percent nationwide. However, in UP, it remains at a significant 25 to 26 percent. UP has the potential to make an even better contribution in this sector.”
The CM pointed out that if farmers receive timely access to seeds and fertilizers and all aspects of agricultural operations function efficiently, our dedicated farmers can turn their land into gold. “It will play a pivotal role in giving new impetus to the cooperative movement in UP,” he said.
Along with increasing the credit limit of PACS, he emphasised on the importance of setting up specific targets for crop loans. He pointed out that the current limit of 7,500 PACS is insufficient to meet the liquidity needs for fertiliser purchases, considering the state’s requirements. “As per the requirements of the state, a credit limit of Rs 10 lakh is required. The state government will provide full cooperation in this regard,” he said.
He said that in the future crop loans should be considered in collaboration with the Agriculture Department.
B-PACS is a scheme to open multipurpose rural cooperative societies. Currently, there are 250 cooperative societies operating within the district to provide farmers with affordable fertilizers, seeds, and benefits of various government schemes.
To ensure smooth operations in the future, particularly regarding loan distribution, as well as the distribution of fertilizers and seeds, a decision has been made to appoint members to every committee starting September 1 as part of the B-PACS Mahabhiyan initiative.
During this membership campaign, which will continue until September 30, a minimum of 200 new members will be added to each committee. Any farmer can become a member by getting a receipt of Rs 21 and will have to buy a share bond of Rs 200.
This membership will result in an increased loan limit for member farmers, along with a reduced annual interest rate. Any individual residing in the Gram Panchayat of the Resource Co-operative Society, engaging in temporary business activities, owning land, or desiring to deposit funds in the society can become an ordinary member of the society.
