The Madhya Pradesh government is implementing wide-ranging reforms in Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and related institutions to strengthen the cooperative movement and make agriculture more profitable.
State Cooperative Minister Vishwas Sarang said that every panchayat in the state is now linked to a bank, and efforts are underway to educate farmers about diversification.
To protect farmers from irregularities in cooperative societies, often arising due to employee lapses, the government is introducing a new justice scheme to ensure swift redressal so that innocent farmers are not adversely affected.
A simplified One-Time Settlement (OTS) scheme to address loan-related issues will also be rolled out across the state soon, Sarang said while highlighting his department’s achievements over the past two years.
Transparency remains a key focus, with 100 per cent computerisation of Primary Cooperative Societies recently completed. All state systems are expected to function in real time by April, marking a significant milestone for farmers.
The minister said that online audits of around 54,000 cooperative societies have positioned Madhya Pradesh as a national leader in this area.
Traditionally limited to goods exchange, loans, fertilisers and seeds, PACS are now being expanded into new business domains.
For the first time globally, Madhya Pradesh integrated cooperatives into the Global Investors Summit 2025 held in Bhopal in February, introducing the Cooperative Public-Private Partnership model. This initiative connects cooperatives with corporations, particularly in renewable energy and other sectors, benefiting thousands of farmers across nearly 54,000 societies while boosting the state’s economy and employment.
Key focus areas include irrigation development, soil testing, soil health cards, and timely availability of fertilisers.
Madhya Pradesh continues to rank among the top milk-producing states in the country, maintaining a strong presence in the dairy sector. Fertiliser distribution has increased significantly, rising from nine lakh metric tonnes in 2003–04 to around 41 lakh metric tonnes at present, with nearly 70 per cent handled through cooperatives. MARKFED has also introduced advanced storage systems to ensure efficient supply.
–IANS
