CM directs 50% quota for women in Vita booths, speedy rollout of coop schemes

Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini today directed officials to ensure the quick implementation of cooperative policies aimed at empowering farmers and women. Chairing a high-level review meeting of the Cooperation Department at the Civil Secretariat in Chandigarh, the CM emphasised that the state government is taking “concrete steps” to strengthen women’s economic independence.

He ordered that “Vita booths should be allotted to women on a priority basis so that they can become economically self-reliant.” He further directed that suitable locations for these booths be identified soon, with at least 50 per cent of them reserved for women.

Highlighting the role of cooperatives in rural development, the CM said the process of forming and operationalising women PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) must be expedited to “organise rural women and make them participants in economic activities.”

The Chief Minister also stressed on modernising cooperative banks. “All cooperative banks in the state should be equipped with modern IT facilities, so that farmers and consumers can receive transparent, effective and timely services,” he said. He added that government payments to farmers, including subsidies and schemes like the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, should be directly linked through cooperative banks.

To ease agricultural operations, Saini directed that sugarcane harvesting machines be made available at low rents through cooperative sugar mills, helping reduce labour costs and enhance production.

He also asked for simplification of the registration process for new PACS, making it more transparent. Additionally, he instructed officials to expand the network of Jan Aushadhi Kendras across the state. “Locations for these centres should be identified near hospitals and health institutions so that the general public can easily get quality medicines at affordable prices,” he said.