The Government on 15.2.2023, has approved the Plan for strengthening cooperative movement in the country and deepening its reach up to the grassroots. The Plan entails establishment of new multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (M-PACS), Dairy, Fishery Cooperative Societies covering all the Panchayats/ villages in the country over a period of five years, through convergence of various existing GOI schemes, including Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF), National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), etc., with the support of National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB) and State Governments.

As per National Cooperative Database, a total of 12,957 (as on 27.01.2025) new PACS, Dairy and Fishery Cooperative Societies have been registered across the country since the approval of the plan on 15.2.2023. The State-wise status is attached at Annexure-I.

In order to diversify the business activities of PACS, the Government, in consultation with all stakeholders, including States/ UTs, National Level Federations, State Cooperative Banks (StCBs), District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), etc., prepared and circulated Model Bye-laws for PACS to all the States/ UTs, which enable them to undertake more than 25 economic activities, including dairy, fishery, floriculture, setting up godowns, procurement of foodgrains, fertilizers, seeds, LPG/CNG/Petrol/Diesel distributorship, short-term & long-term credit, custom hiring centers, Common Service Centers (CSCs), Fair Price Shops (FPS), community irrigation, Business Correspondent activities, etc. So far, 32 States/ UTs have adopted Model Bye-laws or their existing bye-laws are in line with Model Bye-laws.

So far, 42,080 PACS are functioning as CSC; 36,193 PACS are functioning as PMKSK and 22,311 PACS are operating FPS. State-wise details of the same are enclosed at Annexure-II.

Annexure-I

Annexure-II

State-wise details of PACS functioning as PMKSK, CSC and FPS

This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.

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RK/VV/ASH/RR/PR/PS