PM inaugurates pilot project of world’s largest grain storage plan in cooperative sector

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the pilot project of world’s largest grain storage plan in cooperative sector which is being done in 11 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) of 11 States. On this occasion, he said that 700 lakh metric tonnes of grain storage facilities will be built across the country in the next five years under the world’s largest grain storage plan.

To build this mega infrastructure, over Rs 1.25 lakh crore will be spent in the coming years, he said, inaugurating and laying foundation stone of multiple key initiatives for the Cooperative sector in New Delhi. Prime Minister inaugurated the project for computerization in 18,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) across the country aimed to empower the small and marginal farmers.

He laid the foundation stone for an additional 500 PACS across the country for the construction of godowns and other agricultural infrastructure. This initiative aims to seamlessly integrate PACS godowns with the food grain supply chain, fortifying food security and fostering economic development in the country.

Highlighting the importance of the Cooperative sector in the growth of the nation, the Prime Minister said the cooperative sector can play an instrumental role in the promotion of natural farming, reducing the import of edible oil and pulses, and boosting the production of Ethanol.

He said the government has taken several initiatives for the growth of the cooperative sector in the country. Modi said the government has set a target to create over two lakh cooperative societies. He lauded the role of Amul and Lijjat Papad in the cooperative sector saying that the participation of women has been ensured in the cooperative sector by giving priorities to them.

Speaking on this occasion, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said the government has taken several key initiatives to strengthen the cooperative sector in the country. He said computerization of 18 thousand PACS will help the cooperative sector and farmers to modernize the agricultural sector and stressed that the country will achieve the 100 percent grain storage by the year 2027with the help of extended network of PACS.