Parliament Question: Primary Agricultural Credit Societies in Jharkhand

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 520 TO BE ANSWERED ON 3RD FEBRUARY 2026 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies in Jharkhand †520. Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram: Will the Minister of COOPERATION (सहकारिता मंत्री) be pleased to state: (a) the details of the number of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in Jharkhand approved for diversification into additional activities such as dairy, fisheries, godowns, or Common Service Centres under the Ministry’s multipurpose PACS initiative; (b) the status of operationalisation of such diversified PACS in the State, district-wise; (c) whether any PACS have been found ineligible or have failed to operationalise approved activities due to capacity, infrastructure, or coordination constraints, if so, the details thereof; and (d) the steps taken by the Government to provide technical, financial, or institutional support to ensure effective implementation of the multipurpose PACS model in backward and tribal districts? ANSWER THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH) (a) The total number of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in the state of Jharkhand are 4459. All PACS are eligible to undertake diversified business activities, including the establishment of dairy and fisheries units, warehouses, distribution of foodgrains, fertilizers and seeds, LPG/CNG/petrol/diesel distributorships, provision of short-term and long-term credit, Custom Hiring Centres, Fair Price Shops (FPS), community irrigation facilities, Common Service Centres, etc. Since the approval of the national plan for formation of 2 lac MPACS/DCS/FCS on 15.02.2023, Jharkhand has established 127 new Multipurpose PACS (M-PACS), 257 new Dairy Cooperative Societies, and 177 new Fishery Cooperative Societies. For development of decentralized grain storage infrastructure, 50 PACS in Jharkhand have been identified under the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan in the Cooperative Sector for construction of godowns and allied agricultural infrastructure. Total 2358 MPACS are onboarded as Common Service Centres (CSCs). (b) The status of operationalisation of diversified PACS in the State of Jharkhand, district-wise is at Annexure-I.(c) All PACS are eligible to undertake diversified business activities under the initiatives of the Ministry of Cooperation. (d) The Government has implemented several measures to ensure the multipurpose PACS model is successfully executed in underserved, backward, and tribal regions: 1. Enhanced Financial Assistance: i. Higher Subsidies for Hilly and NE Areas: Under the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) scheme for grain storage, the construction cost and subsidy rates are significantly higher for Northeastern states and hilly areas (₹8,000/MT cost and ₹2,666/MT subsidy) compared to plain areas (₹7,000/MT cost and ₹2,333/MT subsidy). ii. Reduced Margin Money: To enhance financial viability, the margin money requirement for PACS has been reduced from 20% to 10%. iii. Ancillary Infrastructure Subsidy: PACS are eligible for an additional subsidy (one-third of the total admissible subsidy) for essential ancillary infrastructure like internal roads, weighbridges, and boundary walls. 2. Technical and Digital Infrastructure: i. Remote Area Connectivity: To address limited digital access in remote and tribal areas, NABARD signed an MoU with BSNL to provide more affordable internet connectivity, reducing the base monthly charge from ₹799 to ₹399. ii. Hardware and Software Provisions: PACS in these regions are provided with a complete IT suite, including a Desktop PC, biometric device, VPN, and UPS. 3. Capacity Building and Institutional Oversight: i. Handholding Support: Under computerization of PACS project 14 days of dedicated handholding training by a System Integrator and 2 days of ERP software training is provided to PACS personnel to ensure adoption in areas with lower digital literacy. ii. Inclusivity in Governance: The Model Bye-laws mandate inclusive membership, providing adequate representation for women and Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes on PACS boards. iii. Localized Monitoring: Implementation is monitored at the grassroots by District Cooperative Development Committees (DCDC), chaired by District Collectors, and Joint Working Committees (JWC), which are specifically tasked with identifying uncovered and underserved Gram Panchayat. ******Annexure-I The status of operationalisation of diversified PACS in the State of Jharkhand, district-wise- Additional Services Provided by PACS in Jharkhand Credit One Two Three and more Grand District Service additional additional additional Sl. Total Only Service Services Services No. 1 BOKARO 74 97 42 40 253 2 CHATRA 28 29 23 74 154 3 DEOGHAR 4 103 31 61 199 4 DHANBAD 167 32 34 24 257 5 DUMKA 76 47 33 50 206 6 EAST SINGHBUM 143 31 12 46 232 7 GARHWA 89 43 19 45 196 8 GIRIDIH 152 84 51 71 358 9 GODDA 62 78 21 42 203 10 GUMLA 33 56 35 36 160 11 HAZARIBAGH 25 60 56 116 257 12 JAMTARA 33 48 19 19 119 13 KHUNTI 28 30 5 24 87 14 KODERMA 39 21 8 43 111 15 LATEHAR 25 34 27 30 116 16 LOHARDAGA 6 19 16 25 66 17 PAKUR 34 46 38 11 129 18 PALAMU 141 39 38 69 287 19 RAMGARH 10 40 43 50 143 20 RANCHI 114 58 55 80 307 21 SAHEBGANJ 59 36 35 38 168 SARAIKELA 70 24 17 27 138 22 KHARSAWAN 23 SIMDEGA 12 25 30 28 95 WEST 111 43 30 34 218 24 SINGHBHUM Grand Total 1535 1123 718 1083 4459