Primary agri credit societies in every panchayat by 2029: Shah

Highlighting the need for adopting the concept of cooperation among cooperatives at the primary level, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday said the Centre would set up primary agriculture credit societies in every panchayat across the country till 2029.

Addressing a conference on the role of cooperatives in building a developed India in Ahmedabad, he said with 2025 being the International Year of Cooperatives, the Centre had emphasised the 'science of cooperation' and 'science in Cooperation'.

He said it was important to implement the concept of cooperation amongst cooperatives at the primary level across the country, so that the entire functioning of all cooperative institutions was carried out in coordination with other cooperatives.

Shah also underlined that all primary cooperative societies, dairies and other such entities should have their bank accounts in the district cooperative banks.

The minister further noted that the country's cooperative movement which started in the country during the freedom movement had gradually declined and nearly disappeared in large parts of the country, therefore it should be everybody's responsibility to expand the cooperative movement to every state and district.