- B-PACS membership campaign earns a share amount of Rs 69.08 cr
- More than 19 L small, marginal, and large-scale farmers join B-PACS
- Shahjahanpur ranks first in membership and share capital
By Our Correspondent
Lucknow: Under the guidance of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the B-PACS Membership Maha Abhiyan-2023, conducted in the state from September 1 to 30, 2023, resulted in the enrollment of 28.85 lakh new members, against the target of 20 lakh. Additionally, the campaign successfully generated a fund of Rs 69.08 crore.
The B-PACS Membership Maha Abhiyan, in the opinion of the Yogi government, will prove to be a turning point in the state’s cooperative movement. The success of B-PACS membership campaign will strengthen the capital base of district cooperative banks and lead to an increase in loan distribution.
Notably, B-PACS will also be provided with a cash credit limit of up to Rs 10 lakhs, making fertilizers and seeds more accessible to farmers through B-PACS. The success of the campaign shows that public confidence in the cooperative sector has increased and will be helpful for the state government in achieving the goal of one trillion dollar economy.
Shahjahanpur remained on top in enrolling members
According to the information received during the campaign, out of the total 28.85 lakh members enrolled in B-PACS, over 18.77 lakh are small and marginal farmers (those who cultivate less than 2 hectares of land), 48,570 large-scale farmers (those who cultivate more than 2 hectares of land) along with 2.01 lakh skilled labourers, 4.86 lakh unskilled labourers, 2.62 lakh cattle rearers, and 7,633 fishermen.
Notably, Shahjahanpur secured the first position in enrolling the most members and collecting the most share capital. In Shahjahanpur, a total of 1,25,022 B-PACS members were enrolled, and a total share capital of Rs 3,00,67,023 was earned. Shahjahanpur also stood first in creating the highest average number of members per PACS (1087.15) and accumulating share capital (261452.37).
In Shahjahanpur, there were 82,255 small and marginal farmers, while the number of large farmers was 1,915. Additionally, 8,099 skilled laborers, 19,881 unskilled laborers, 1,116 fishermen, and 11,704 cattle rearers became members.
Several benefits of joining B-PACS
– Through B-Pax, new farmer members will be provided crop loan facilities at cheaper rates from other banks i.e. at 3 percent interest, and long term loan facility for farm mechanization will be made available for 5 to 7 years.
– Fishery farmers will be linked to Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and cattle farmers will be linked to Nand Baba Milk Mission Scheme. They will also be provided with loans at a 3 percent interest rate through Kisan Credit Cards.
– Loans will be made available to unskilled and skilled workers by forming ‘Labor Club’ and new employment opportunities will be made available. They will also be provided benefits of labor department schemes.
– Farmer producer groups will be given the facility to make export and local market platform available by entering into an MOU with B-PACS. Additionally, affordable and quality generic medicines will be made available to farmers through Jan Aushadhi Kendra.
– Under the AIF scheme, cheap loan facility for setting up processing units of farmer producer groups will be made available through district cooperative banks.
– Drone facility will also be provided to FPOs and PACS and loan facility to street vendors under PM Swanidhi Yojana will be provided through district cooperative banks.
Cooperative volunteers will get incentive amount
The state government has outlined a recognition and incentive program for cooperative volunteers who excel in the B-PAC Membership Maha Abhiyan-2023. Volunteers who successfully enroll at least 100 members will receive a satisfactory certificate. Additionally, those who enroll between 280 to 400 members per pack will be awarded an excellent certificate and an incentive amount of Rs 5000.
Furthermore, outstanding certificates and an incentive of Rs 7500 will be granted to cooperative volunteers who manage to enlist 400 to 600 members per pack. Finally, cooperative volunteers who go above and beyond by enrolling more than 600 members per pack will be honored with a certificate of excellence and a government incentive of Rs 10,000.
