Modi Govt’s Storage Scheme a Major Step Towards ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’: Amit Shah
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 2nd June: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah chaired a high-level review meeting of the world’s largest cooperative food grain storage scheme in New Delhi on Monday. The scheme, spearheaded by the Modi government, aims to significantly enhance rural employment and increase the income of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), a key grassroots unit in India’s cooperative sector.
Also present at the meeting were Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar, Murlidhar Mohol, and senior officials from the Ministry of Cooperation, Ministry of Food and Public Distribution, Consumer Affairs, FCI, NABARD, NCDC, and other key institutions.
Calling the initiative a milestone under the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’, Amit Shah said, “This is not just a food storage scheme. It is a transformational step that will contribute directly to India’s GDP and employment generation goals.”
He emphasized the importance of empowering PACS, urging the expansion of loan facilities through the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) and advocating for increased participation of PACS in the scheme’s implementation. “Improving the financial health of PACS is critical. Extending loan periods and ensuring their active involvement will make them financially viable and socially impactful,” Shah noted.
The Minister called for a nationwide mapping of warehouses to streamline regional implementation and directed agencies like FCI, NCCF, NAFED, and State Warehousing Corporations to integrate PACS with as many warehouses as possible.
To develop a comprehensive cooperative supply chain, Shah further urged state governments and their cooperative marketing federations to engage more PACS at the local level. This, he said, would ensure timely execution and make the scheme an important pillar of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’.
In closing, Shah appealed to all stakeholders for coordinated efforts, stating that the successful rollout of this initiative will play a pivotal role in reshaping India’s rural economy and agricultural infrastructure.
