Patna: State’s cooperative minister Pramod Kumar on Monday announced that a team of around 50 people associated with cooperative societies would be sent to Gujarat to study cooperative farming and milk production models.Addressing a press conference here, the minister said Bihar has strong potential for cooperative farming, particularly in view of the prevalence of small landholdings. He said the 50-member team would visit Gujarat to examine how cooperative farming is being practised and how it has generated employment opportunities there. After studying Gujarat’s cooperative farming and milk production systems, the team would work towards replicating similar models in Bihar.
The minister underlined that cooperatives have significant potential to generate employment. He said the cooperative department is exploring various possibilities to expand employment avenues through cooperatives, adding that the sector can play a vital role in livelihood generation across rural areas.Citing the example of the well-known ‘tilkut’ business of Gaya, he said a large number of firms are engaged in tilkut production in the region. However, sesame seeds used in its preparation are not produced in Bihar and are instead sourced from other states such as Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal. “After talking to farmers, we will explore whether or not sesame can be produced in the Magadh region through cooperative farming,” he said.The minister also informed that the department has sent a requisition to the commissions concerned to fill 1,284 posts. These include 632 posts of cooperative extension officers, 198 posts of auditors, 274 posts of lower division clerks and 126 posts of peons.Providing details of ongoing initiatives, he said the primary agriculture credit cooperative societies (PACS), through the Common Service Centre (CSC), are currently delivering around 300 different services. So far, CSCs have been established in 6,301 PACS. In addition, Jan Aushadhi Kendras have been set up in 329 PACS, while 2,304 PACS and societies have been issued licences for the sale of fertiliser.In the first phase, 4,477 PACS were computerised, he said, adding that a proposal has been sent to the Union Ministry of Cooperation for the computerisation of an additional 2,330 PACS in the state.Reviewing paddy procurement in 23 districts, Pramod Kumar said that 29.22 lakh metric tonnes of paddy have so far been procured, which is 79.30% of the target of 36.85 lakh metric tonnes fixed for the current Kharif Marketing Season (KMS) 2025-26. Paddy was procured from 4.28 lakh farmers through 6,879 cooperative societies, he said, adding that Rs 6,400 crore has been transferred directly into farmers’ bank accounts as minimum support price (MSP).Cooperative department secretary Dharmendra Singh, registrar, cooperative societies, Rajnish Kumar Singh, additional registrar, cooperative societies, Ram Naresh Pandey, and managing director of Veg Fed, Dr Gagan, were also present at the press conference.
