CM Jagan for improving functioning of DCMS

Vijayawada: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy stressed on the need to undertake a comprehensive study for improving the functioning of District Cooperative Marketing Societies (DCMS) in the backdrop of primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) being linked to the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs).

At a review at the Camp Office on Thursday, the Chief Minister said the study is necessary to support the farming community and women’s self-help groups by extending loans on lesser interest rate and handholding them in their activities to strengthen the village economy.

Since RBKs are functioning like branches of APCOB and DCCBs and every PACS having jurisdiction over three to four RBKs which have been extending credit and non-credit services, the functioning of DCMS also should be improved to extend their services to suit the changed circumstances, he said, adding a study should be taken up on achieving this task. Stating that the CM app is playing key role in ensuring MSP for various agricultural produce, the Chief Minister said that DCMS also should now play key role in this. There is a need to integrate the primary and secondary food processing systems with the DCMS.

Officials should undertake a comprehensive study on all these aspects and submit a detailed report on the steps to be taken, he said.

Since ours is agriculture-based state, we should necessarily strengthen and extend the activities of APCOB, DCMS, DCCBs and PACS by making them fully professional so that they can handhold farmers and women’s self-help groups by supporting them at every step, he added.

While the PACS should be made fully professional, they should also act as regional offices for RBKs and all PACS should be fully computerised by November.

PACS should take care to ensure that quality fertilisers are supplied while providing agricultural and gold loans to farmers and women for lesser interest rates than commercial banks to boost up the rural economy, he said.

When officials informed him that the worth of financial transactions in all PACS across the state went up to Rs 21,906 crore from Rs 11,884.97crore in the last four years and 400 PACs have come out of the losses, he asked them to take necessary steps to ensure that all PACS and DCCBs also get profits.

The Chief Minister asked them to update the revenue records and make them available at the PACS which should develop SOPs on sanctioning loans in transparent, efficient and flexible manner.

He was informed that APCOB registered a growth rate of 175 per cent in the last four years as its financial transactions went up to Rs. 36,732.43crore from Rs.13,322.55crore while the worth of its non-performing assets has come down by 50 %. The Chief Minister directed the APCOB to extend support to women in providing self-employment opportunities through Cheyutha funds. There should be regular audit in APCOB, PACS and DCCBs.

Minister for agriculture and cooperation K Govardhana Reddy, chief secretary Dr K S Jawahar Reddy and others were present.