Bhubaneswar: “PACS and LAMPCS are the lifeline of our breadwinner farmers and sisters,” said Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi while launching the mega membership drive ‘Sambandha’ today.
At the state-level launch event held at OUAT Krushi Sikshya Sadan in Bhubaneswar, the Chief Minister said ‘Sambandha’ is not just the launch of a scheme, but an innovative effort to strengthen the bond of trust and close ties between the government and every farmer family in the state. It will add a new dimension to the lives of farmers dependent on agriculture and allied sectors, he said.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister called upon farmers to join PACS and LAMPCS in large numbers. Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’ mantra and guidance of Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Odisha has become the first state in the country to enact its Cooperation Policy 2026, Majhi said.
Under the new policy, PACS and LAMPCS are not limited to providing loans only but are being transformed into multi-service one-stop solution centres in rural areas. Farmers are being provided MSP of Rs 3,100 per quintal of paddy, while fertilisers, seeds, modern farm machinery, banking, crop insurance and milk collection facilities are being provided under one roof, he said.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister inaugurated 185 converted mandis, 50 custom hiring centres, 250 Common Service Centres (CSCs), 60 new consumer stores, new offices and godowns of 70 PACS, and milk collection centres in 21 PACS. He also laid foundation stones for four model mandis and three grain godowns under the world’s largest grain storage scheme.
Emphasising core banking and real-time settlement through National PACS Software to make cooperative societies more transparent and efficient, the Chief Minister launched online system through NLPS in 300 PACS.
For the first time, dividend distribution to farmer-members of PACS and LAMPCS has been started. The process for financial year 2024-25 has begun, with dividend distributed to farmers of 322 PACS and LAMPCS on Friday. A total of 500 societies will benefit around 8 lakh farmers in 2024-25.To increase income of sugarcane farmers and revive the cooperative sugar industry, the Chief Minister launched the “Promotion of Sugarcane Production in Cooperative Sugarcane Industries Areas” scheme.
In the initial phase, farmers in Badamba and Aska cooperative sugarcane areas will be provided input subsidy of Rs 15,000 per acre. He also directed the Agriculture Department to provide high-quality sugarcane seeds with high sugar content to sugarcane farmers.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister handed over appointment letters to 11 Assistant Superintendents, 19 Warehouse Assistants and 36 Cooperative Inspectors of Odisha State Warehousing Corporation and visited an exhibition organised as part of the programme.
Speaking at the function, Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bala Samanta said rapid development of rural economy is possible only through cooperatives and the campaign aims to connect at least one member from every family with cooperatives. He said cooperative societies are no longer loss-making institutions but have become self-reliant and profitable.
Chief Secretary Anu Garg said cooperatives have a significant role in achieving the 2036 and 2047 goals and emphasised strengthening and digitisation of the cooperative sector. Agriculture Secretary Sachin Ramachandra Yadav, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Commissioner-cum-Secretary Guha Punam Tapas Kumar, Cooperation Commissioner-cum-Secretary Rajesh Prabhakar Patil and Registrar of Cooperative Societies Manish Agarwal were present. Members of various PACS and LAMPCS, departmental officers and farmers attended the programme.
