Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday launched 10,000 new multi-purpose primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) and asserted that the government will achieve its target of setting up 2 lakh such societies before the five-year deadline.

Addressing the launch event, Shah said prosperity through cooperation can only be achieved if cooperatives function effectively at the panchayat level.

“We have kept a target of setting up 2 lakh PACS in five years. I want to tell you that we will set up 2 lakh PACS within five years. In three months, we have set up 10,000 new PACS “, indicated the minister.

The initiative will be rolled out in two phases, with NABARD creating 32,750 new M-PACS in the first phase, while NDDB will create 56,500 dairy cooperatives and NFDB 6,000 fishing cooperatives.

In the second phase, NABARD will create 45,000 M-PACS, NDDB will create 46,000 dairy cooperatives and NFDB 5,500 fishing cooperatives. State governments will form around 25,000 new cooperatives, he added.

Shah also issued standard operating procedures (SOPs) for liquidation of defunct PACS, which will enable the creation of new societies in 15,000 villages.

According to current standards, a second PACS cannot be established in villages where one already exists, unless it is declared deceased.

The minister distributed registration certificates, micro ATMs and RuPay Kisan credit cards to the newly established cooperative societies.

Shah also highlighted the importance of digitalization in the sector, noting that the government has already computerized existing PACS and integrated them into 32 different initiatives.

He stressed, however, that technology alone is not enough.

“We have computerized, equipped with software and launched different programs. However, cooperatives cannot operate if there is no qualified workforce,” he said, urging companies to use the new training module.

So far, 11,695 PACS have been registered under the new model laws, he added.

The minister also recalled the contribution made to the cooperative sector on the occasion of the 100th birth anniversary of late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

He added that the 97th Amendment to the Constitution was introduced during the Vajpayee regime to give impetus to the cooperative sector.

Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Panchayati Raj Rajiv Ranjan Singh, Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar and senior government officials were present at the event.