Jaipur: Rajasthan claimed top performance in key Centre-backed cooperative sector programmes, while securing approval for 200 grain storage warehouses under the Centre’s grain storage scheme for 2024-25 and 2025-26, the state govt said Friday.In an official statement, the state govt said it emerged as the top-performing state in several cooperative sector initiatives, including computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), online transactions through e-PACS and the formation of multipurpose PACS (M-PACS).The statement mentioned that another 50 warehouses have been proposed for 2026-27, which will add 1.25 lakh metric tonnes of storage capacity over three years.Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma said the cooperative model was strengthening the rural economy by expanding the reach of cooperative institutions in villages.According to the statement, Rajasthan’s performance was highlighted during the fifth foundation day celebrations of the Union ministry of cooperation in New Delhi on July 6.The govt said the state has more than 42,000 cooperative societies with over 1.35 crore members, including 8.9 lakh added during a recent membership drive. It said 5,646 of the 6,781 identified PACS have been computerised, facilitating more than 10 crore online transactions, nearly one-third of the national total.Rajasthan has also established 1,977 multipurpose PACS under the Centre’s initiative to set up a cooperative society in every gram panchayat, the highest among all states, according to the statement.The govt said 4,875 PACS are engaged in multiple activities, including operating Common Service Centres, PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras, Farmer Producer Organisations and Jan Aushadhi Kendras. It also claimed the highest enrolment of PACS with the Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Ltd.In the dairy sector, the membership of the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF) and district milk unions has increased by 70%, with more than 4.2 lakh women among 9.4 lakh milk producers. The statement said RCDF and district milk unions recently recorded a turnover of Rs 10,000 crore, the highest in their 47-year history.The govt also said more than 71 lakh farmers have received Rs 2,726 crore under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and Mukhyamantri Kisan Samman Nidhi schemes. Nearly 60,000 livestock owners have availed loans under the Gopal Credit Card scheme, while 240 Shri Anna outlets and the cooperative-based Bharat Taxi platform with 17,000 registered drivers are among the initiatives highlighted.
