Replying to a query in Lok Sabha related to the Impact of the Covid Pandemic on Cooperative Societies, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said National Cooperative Union of India has been entrusted with the job of carrying out a study on the matter.
“During the Covid Pandemic, NCDC has given financial assistance of Rs 24,733 crore in 2020-21 and Rs 34,221 crore in 2021-22 to cooperative societies. Further, during the pandemic, NCDC has restructured loans to the tune of Rs.203.78 cr for Sugar Cooperatives and Rs.369.68cr for Textile Cooperatives”, he said while replying to a query raised by the senior TMC leader and Member of Parliament Kalyan Banerjee.
Shah further added, “The Covid pandemic extensively affected all sectors, including cooperatives. However, the Govt. of India has given Covid relief through various measures/packages from time to time to mitigate challenges faced by different sectors”.
On the question related to Model By-laws for PACS, Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah in a written reply said, ” In order to make Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) multipurpose vibrant business entities, draft model bye-laws are being prepared in consultation with State Governments, National Cooperative Federations and all other stakeholders”.
“These Draft Model Bye-Laws contain various provisions for bringing professionalism, transparency and accountability in their operations. It is to mention that PACS registered and administered under the respective State Cooperative Laws”, Shah’s answer read.
He further stated that the Government is also formulating a new national level policy for cooperatives. This pan India IT project and legal reforms through adoption of model bye-laws by PACS will create an enabling environment for PACS to become vibrant multipurpose business entities, it concludes.
Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying Parshottam Rupala, in a written reply to a question related to the promotion of co-ops for milk production, said, “the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying, Government of India is implementing many schemes primarily focusing on development of the cooperative dairy sector including dairy co-operative societies”.
DIDF was launched in December 2017 with the objective of creation/ strengthening of Milk Processing, Value addition & chilling facilities for Dairy Co-operative, Multi State Dairy Cooperatives, Milk Producer Companies (MPC), National Dairy Development Board’s (NDDBs) subsidiaries, Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) registered under State Cooperative and Companies Act with total outlay of Rs. 11,184 Crore (loan component of Rs. 8,004 Crore). DIDF is to be implemented from 2018-19 to 2022-23 and repayment period upto 2030-31 with spill over to first quarter of the FY 2031-32.