Patna, Sep 20 (PTI) All 8,400 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in Bihar will soon start functioning as Common Service Centers (CSC) providing over 300 services such as banking, Aadhaar enrolment, train reservation and air-ticketing in rural areas.
Cooperative Minister Surendra Yadav on Wednesday said PACS will also be given priority in the allotment of new petrol, diesel or LPG dealerships to strengthen the cooperative movement in the state.
PACS are ground-level cooperative credit institutions that provide short-term and medium-term agricultural loans to farmers.
While inaugurating a workshop on business diversification in PACS, Yadav said, “In order to strengthen the PACS, the state government has decided to develop them as CSCs which will provide 300 common services to rural people. Work to develop 1000 PACS as CSC has already started. The remaining 7400 will also be developed as CSC very soon”.
Speaking on the occasion, Dipak Kumar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Co-operative department, said the state government is making efforts for the welfare of the stakeholders associated with the cooperative sector.
“PACS will be given priority in allotment of new petrol or diesel dealerships – this will strengthen the cooperative movement. All 8,400 PACS will become the economic hub of rural development in the state,” Singh said.
PACS across the state will function as multi-dimensional units and they will help in increasing the income of those associated with it, he said.
“PACS will be able to provide all services listed on the Digital Seva Portal of the CSC scheme to citizens, including banking, Aadhaar enrolment/update, agri-inputs like farm equipment, PAN card, IRCTC, rail, bus, and air ticket related services,” said the official.
The entire system of PACS is being digitised in Bihar to ensure transparency in its function, he added. PTI PKD NN
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