Strong Cooperatives Key to Rural Prosperity, Says Centre During Odisha PACS Review

Bhubaneswar: The Centre has underscored the critical role of cooperative institutions in strengthening rural livelihoods and agricultural development, with a high-level delegation reviewing the functioning of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in Odisha and calling for greater business diversification, stronger infrastructure and expanded services for farmers.

Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Cooperation, Pankaj Kumar Bansal, visited the Shree Jagannath Farmers Service Cooperative Society (FSCS) in Cuttack and Gengutia PACS in Dhenkanal to assess their performance and explore strategies to enhance the cooperative sector under the vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through Cooperation).

Accompanied by Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS), Odisha, Manish Agrawal, Bansal reviewed the functioning of Shree Jagannath FSCS in Cuttack, focusing on credit delivery mechanisms, business diversification initiatives and long-term plans to strengthen cooperative institutions.

Discussions also centred on expanding the role of cooperatives in rural economic development by improving access to credit and enhancing the institutional capacity of PACS.

The visit was attended by Cuttack Collector Dattatraya Bhausaheb Shinde, Odisha State Cooperative Bank Chief General Manager Rudra Prasad Das, Additional Secretary of the Cooperation Department Sangram Rout, DRCS Cuttack Supriya Swain and other senior officials.

In Dhenkanal, the Central delegation visited Gengutia PACS, where Bansal reviewed the society’s diversified business activities, including its consumer store, LPG distribution agency, fertiliser and seed outlets, and paddy procurement operations.

He stressed the need to further strengthen infrastructure and promote innovative business models to expand services for farmers and make cooperative institutions more sustainable and self-reliant.

The visit also included discussions on accelerating business diversification of PACS and improving their role in supporting rural communities through integrated service delivery.

RCS Odisha Manish Agrawal, Additional Secretary Sangram Rout, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) Regional Director Abhijit Kulkarni, DRCS Dhenkanal Uma Shankar Das, ARCS Dhenkanal Ananya Sharma, along with the PACS president and staff members, participated in the review.

 

Officials said the visit reflects the Centre’s continued emphasis on strengthening cooperative institutions through improved credit support, infrastructure development and diversified business activities to boost the rural economy and enhance farmers’ incomes.