Govt identifies 1.24 lakh unrepresented panchayats to set up M-PACS

Subject :Economy

Section: Agriculture

Context:

Of over 1 lakh such entities across the country are not functioning as fertilizer retailers, the Centre has decided to identify them and encourage them to retail the crop nutrients on the basis of their feasibilities.
On the basis of mapping, those PACS which are not functioning as fertilizer retailers will be identified and also will be encouraged to function as retailers on the basis of feasibility in a phased manner, it said. Besides, PACS will be brought under the ambit of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSK), it said.

Launching the PM-Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSKs) in October 2022, the Prime Minister had inaugurated 600 such outlets, which act as one-stop shops to provide inputs and services to farmers. He had announced that about 3.25 lakh fertilizer retail shops will be converted into PMKSKs across the country.
The Co-operation Ministry also announced that PACS have been enabled to rent out drones for spraying fertilizers and pesticides as well as for property surveys.
Further, the ministry said in the supply and marketing chain of bio and organic fertilizers, PACS will also be included as wholesalers/retailers by the companies.
PACS will be connected with the marketing of organic fertilizers, especially Fermented Organic Manure (FoM)/Liquid Fermented Organic Manure (LFOM)/Phosphate Enriched Organic Manure (PROM).

What are Primary Agricultural Credit Societies?

PACS are the ground-level cooperative credit institutions that provide short-term and medium-term agricultural loans to the farmers for the various agricultural and farming activities.
It works at the grassroots gram Panchayat and village level.

Features

The Primary Agricultural Credit Societies are the association of persons, unlike in the case of the Joint Stock Companies, where there is just accumulation of capital.
Primary Agricultural Credit Societies confers equal rights to all its members without considering their holding of share and their social standing.
Since these are cooperative bodies, individual farmers are members of the PACS, and office-bearers are elected from within them.
The membership fee is low enough that even the poorest agriculturist can join.
A village can have multiple PACS.

PACS are generally providing the following facilities to the members: