Delhi: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, launched a pivotal computerization scheme for the offices of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCSs) and Agricultural and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) in New Delhi. Accompanied by Union Minister of State for Cooperation Shri BL Verma and other dignitaries, the event marked a significant step toward realizing the vision of “Sahkaar Se Samriddhi” under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Amit Shah acknowledged Prime Minister Modi’s dedicated efforts toward rural development over the past 10 years, emphasizing the government’s two-fold strategy to uplift the villages, poor, and farmers. Shah credited Modi for significantly improving the living standards of millions, bringing 23 crore people above the poverty line. The establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation and the “Digital India” initiative, according to Shah, lays the foundation for prosperous villages and aligns with the broader goal of a developed India.
Shri Amit Shah announced the initiation of the computerization scheme, costing approximately Rs 225 crore, to modernize the cooperative sector. This move aims to enhance transparency, and accountability, and facilitate the disbursement of medium and long-term loans for farmers. The scheme covers the computerization of RCS offices and ARDBs, ensuring communication in local languages and improving operational efficiency.
Underlining the government’s digital ecosystem enhancement for cooperatives, Shah mentioned the previous computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACSs), the Central Registrar of Cooperatives, district and state cooperative banks, and the creation of the national cooperative database. With the current computerization of ARDBs and RCSs, the entire cooperative sector is entering the digital realm, fostering a modern and people-friendly approach.
Shri Amit Shah stressed the importance of modernizing farming practices and the role of cooperatives in achieving this goal. The computerization of ARDBs will not only improve operational efficiency but also bring uniformity in accounting, and transparency, and help curb corruption. The government is considering linking all Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks with national software, strengthening agricultural loan linkages.
