New Delhi: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday called for a deep participation of the Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) in the government’s foodgrain storage scheme, called it essential for its financial stability and social relevance. In a review meeting of the world’s largest cooperative foodgrain storage initiative, Shah carried out national level warehouse mapping to align the infrastructure with the Ministry of Food and Public Distribution and the Food Corporation of India with regional level needs. He asked FCI, NCCF, NAFED and State Warehousing Bodies to connect the PAC with more warehouse and urged the states to bring more PACs in the scheme. State-level marketing associations should be integrated to create a full cooperative supply chain, Shah said. He emphasized on expanding the debt period of the Agricultural Infrastructure Fund to help the PAC financially. Shah called the scheme a big step towards the PM’s “prosperity from cum and prosperity”, which is to promote rural employment. News network
