Taking a historic decision, in the direction of fulfilling the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's dream of ‘Sahkar Se Samridhi’, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed today to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to provide services offered by Common Service Centers, in the presence of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah and Union Minister of Electronics and Information Technology, Shri Ashwini Vaishnalav. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India Limited in New Delhi. Minister of State for Cooperation Shri BL Verma, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, senior officials of Ministry of Cooperation, NABARD and NCDC were present on the occasion.

In his address, the Union Home Minister and Minister of  Cooperation Minister said that PACS are the soul of cooperatives and making them multipurpose as providers of about 20 services will increase employment opportunities in rural areas. He said that the role and contribution of PACS in rural and agricultural development is very important. Describing this agreement as a win-win situation for all, he said that this will not only help in fulfilling Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's dream of ‘Sahkar Se Samridhi’ and making cooperatives the backbone of rural development, but will also strengthen both cooperatives and farmers. Shri Shah said that this will help in advancing the concept of Common Service Centres (CSC) to the smallest unit of the country very easily.

Shri Amit Shah said that about 50 percent of the country's population is associated with cooperatives in one way or the other and keeping in view the development of such a large sector, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had taken a historic decision to create a separate Ministry of Cooperation. He said that making PACS viable was the biggest problem in front of the cooperative sector, and today a new beginning has been made by adding many new dimensions to the functioning of PACS. Shri Shah added that PACS will now be able to undertake 20 different activities including water distribution, storage, Bank Mitra. He said that the first and foremost task is to make the services provided by the Common Service Centres available to the rural population through PACS.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in this year's budget, many important announcements have been made for the cooperative sector. He said that a provision has been made in this year's budget to make 2 lakh PACS in the next five years and create a multi-purpose PACS in every Panchayat. Apart from this, the foundation of the world's largest grain storage scheme has also been laid in the budget for the cooperative sector. Shri Shah said that creation of a national database for the cooperative sector is 70 percent completed. Apart from this, model bye-laws have been prepared and sent to all the states after discussing with all the stakeholders.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that as per the agreement signed today, PACS will now be able to function as Common Service Centres, along with this, more than 300 services will be made available to the rural population including 13 crore farmer members of PACS. It will increase the business activities of PACS and help them to become self-sustaining economic entities. Shri Shah said that with this initiative PACS will be able to provide all the services listed on the Digital Seva Portal of CSC scheme to citizens, including banking, insurance, Aadhaar enrolment/update, legal services, agri-inputs like farm equipment, PAN card , IRCTC, Rail, Bus, and Air ticket related services, etc. He said that the national software being developed under the ongoing Centrally-Sponsored Scheme of PACS computerization will also be used for PACS to function as CSCs, which will be a big achievement.

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