Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah inaugurated the computerization projects for the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) and the Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDB) of all states and union territories on January 30, 2024. The event was organized by the Ministry of Cooperation in partnership with the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Vision of Sahkaar Se Samriddhi
Shah said that the computerization projects are part of the vision of “Sahkaar Se Samriddhi” (Prosperity through Cooperation) that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has envisaged for the cooperative sector. He said that the Modi government is committed to making crores of farmers prosperous by strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.
Benefits of Computerization
Shah said that the computerization projects will help improve efficiency, transparency and accountability in the working of RCS and ARDB. He said that the projects will standardize business procedures through a Common Accounting System (CAS) and a Management Information System (MIS) and bring the entire cooperative ecosystem on a digital platform.
He said that the computerization of RCS offices will enable them to function paperless and implement the cooperative laws and regulations effectively. He said that the ministry has already finalized the National Cooperative Database, containing data from more than 8 lakh cooperative societies, and it will be launched soon.
He said that the computerization of ARDBs will facilitate long-term loans to farmers through Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS). He said that under the first phase, 1,851 branches of ARDBs in 13 states and UTs will be computerized and linked to NABARD through a common national software. He suggested expansion of ARDBs to other states as well.
He said that long-term finance is essential for modernizing the agriculture sector and enhancing productivity and income of farmers. He said that after computerization, ARDBs will be able to provide both medium and long-term loans to farmers at affordable rates.
Role of Ministry of Cooperation
Shah said that the Ministry of Cooperation, which was formed by Prime Minister Modi in July 2021, has taken several initiatives to revitalize the cooperative sector. He said that the ministry has launched schemes such as Sahakar Pragya, Sahakar Mitra, Sahakar Seva Kendra and Sahakar Bharatiya Kosh to provide training, internship, consultancy and financial assistance to cooperative societies.
He said that the ministry has also introduced a new bill in Parliament to amend the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002, to bring more transparency and accountability in multi-state cooperative societies. He said that the bill will protect the interests of members and depositors of such societies.
He said that the ministry is also working on a new policy framework for cooperatives, which will be based on the principles of autonomy, democracy, professionalism, social responsibility and good governance. He said that the policy will aim at creating an enabling environment for cooperatives to grow and contribute to various sectors of the economy.
He appealed to all stakeholders to join hands with the ministry in realizing the vision of “Sahkaar Se Samriddhi” and making India a global leader in cooperatives.