Emphasising the importance of one district, one cooperative bank, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said that every farmer should avail banking facilities.
Launching the B-PACS membership campaign and toll-free number, the chief minister said that Uttar Pradesh was emerging as a good investment hub.
The One District, One Product scheme has gained nationwide popularity. To achieve self-reliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi emphasises the campaign of ‘local for global’.
“The MSME department is actively promoting the packaging, design and marketing of its local products. A new competition has emerged, urging people to contribute to promoting the local products. If cooperative banks also join this process, it will help rebuild public trust in them,” Yogi said.
The chief minister pointed out that cooperatives have been an integral part of Indian tradition since ancient times. But at one time this work of cooperatives was compromised and wrong people got involved in it, resulting in significant consequences for the most populous state in the country, he added.
“We are all grateful to Prime Minister Modi, who gave the status of ministry to cooperatives after becoming prime minister again in 2019,” he said.
“As the first Minister of Cooperation, Home Minister Amit Shah has worked to strengthen PACS, the most basic unit, by linking it with prosperity. It is a matter of happiness for us that this membership campaign has been launched in Uttar Pradesh from September 1 to 30 and a toll-free number has been issued,” he added.
The chief minister said that the double-engine government was taking the programme forward by linking cooperatives with prosperity. Till now, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) was limited to selling fertilisers and seeds, but now it is also being developed as a common service development centre, and other facilities will be available there, he added.
The chief minister highlighted the importance of agriculture in a state like Uttar Pradesh, saying, “We have the most fertile land in the world and the best water resources. There are more than 2.61 lakh farmers who are associated with PM Kisan Samman Nidhi. That means we have three crore farmers who can join this campaign, take it on the path of prosperity, and help connect agriculture with the prosperity of Uttar Pradesh.”
Agriculture constituted more than 40 per cent of the total GDP during India’s independence. Over time, this figure gradually declined and currently stands at around 16-17 per cent nationwide. However, in Uttar Pradesh, it remains at a significant 25-26 per cent. UP has the potential to make an even better contribution in this sector, the chief minister added.
The chief minister pointed out that if farmers receive timely access to seeds and fertilisers and all aspects of agricultural operations function efficiently, the dedicated farmers can turn their land into gold. It will play a pivotal role in giving new impetus to the cooperative movement in Uttar Pradesh¸ he added.
Along with increasing the credit limit of PACS, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath emphasised the importance of establishing specific targets for crop loans. He pointed out that the current limit of 7,500 PACS was insufficient to meet the liquidity needs for fertiliser purchases, considering the state’s requirements. As per the requirements of the state, a credit limit of Rs 10 lakh is required. The state government will provide full cooperation in this regard.
He further added that in the future, crop loans should be considered in collaboration with the Agriculture department.