In order to encourage youth to opt for self employment as well as facilitate the farmers during sowing season, the cooperative societies of Uttarakhand have been providing them loan at interests much lower than that prevailing in the markets. Several steps have been taken to diversify the business portfolio of cooperatives to make it multidisciplinary.The authorities of district cooperative banks have been directed to launch public awareness campaign about the facilities they are providing to the customers and farmers, said Uttarakhand Cooperative secretary Vijay Kumar Dhaundiyal.
Stress is being laid on making the villagers aware of the significance of cooperative movement as an important lever to bring about speedy and sustainable development, he added. There are 10, 13, 780 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) members in the state and 2, 11, 159 have secured low-interest loans in the financial year 2014-15.He further said the role of cooperative section in promoting eco- tourism will be increased for employment generation, especially in rural areas of the state.
The authorities of cooperative banks have been directed to ensure that they make all the arrangements for securing data security, fire security and cyber security.There are 759 PACSs and 2500 cooperative societies in the state.Uttarakhand Cooperative (Headquarter) assistant registrar Ramindri Mandrawal said that the cooperative movement has reached the level of Nyay Panchayat and steps are being taken to ensure that all the families are covered under the cooperative movements in the state. The PACS members are the bottom-tier of the Short Term Cooperative Credit Structure functioning at the grassroots (Gram Panchayat) level.
These are primary societies owned by farmers, rural artisans and others and intended to promote thrift and mutual help among the members; cater to their credit requirements and provide credit-linked services like input supply, storage and marketing of agricultural produce etc.These Cooperative Credit Institutions with their wide out-reach in the rural areas and accessibility to the small and marginal farmers and the other marginalised populations have been playing a vital role in dispensation of agricultural credit. Moreover, the department is planning to construct cooperative women hostel for working women at various places in the state, she added.