Raipur. Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah chaired a review meeting related to the expansion of cooperatives in the state in Raipur, Chhattisgarh today. Amit Shah also inaugurated the Primary Agriculture Credit Society in the form of Pani Samiti in all 33 districts of Chhattisgarh. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Dev Sai, Union Minister of State for Cooperatives Murlidhar Mohol, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao, Cooperative Minister Kedar Kashyap and Secretary of Union Cooperative Ministry Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani were also present on this occasion. The Home and Cooperative Minister also inaugurated tree plantation under the ‘People for People’ program under the ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ campaign and various development works of the Chhattisgarh government.
The Union Home Minister said that to realize the dream of prosperity through cooperation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a cooperative society will be formed in every Panchayat of the country. He said that the Chhattisgarh government should make a new public dairy scheme for the overall tribal development, which will work as a PACS, dairy and fisheries cooperative institution.
The Union Cooperative Minister said that all the 2058 PACs of Chhattisgarh have adopted the model by-laws. He said that the National Cooperative Database should be used to find dry areas in Chhattisgarh, which will help in expanding cooperatives. He emphasized that with computerization, every PAC should be made a CSC, so that the benefits of various activities of PACs can reach the rural people.
Amit Shah said that there should be a contract between NCCF, NAFED and the state for ethanol production so that farmers can be encouraged to cultivate maize. He said that the cost of maize cultivation is also low and the central government is purchasing all the maize of the farmers at a good minimum support price. Shah said that there should be 100% registration on NAFED and NCCF portal by ‘PACS’ for the sale of agricultural produce of farmers.
The Union Home and Cooperative Minister said that it is mandatory for every trader, ‘PACS’ and cooperative institution of every mandi to open an account in the District Cooperative Bank. There are 4 cooperative sugar mills in Chhattisgarh, out of which only one mill has an ethanol production plant. Shah said that the Central Government will help in setting up multi-feed ethanol production plants in the remaining 3 cooperative sugar mills within 6 months, so that ethanol can be produced from maize, sugarcane etc. He said that there is a need to promote the cultivation of maize and pulses in Chhattisgarh and for this the state’s agriculture department should take the initiative.
Amit Shah said that at present there are a total of 6 District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCBs) in 33 districts of Chhattisgarh and in the near future, keeping in mind the expansion of ‘PACS’ in the state, at least 4 more District Cooperative Central Banks should be established. He said that for the economic development of the rural and tribal people of Chhattisgarh, the Animal Husbandry, Agriculture, Tribal Affairs and Cooperative departments of the state government should work together under the Whole of Government Approach.