*Image credit The Hans India

Good news is for farmers across the country. The Centre has taken five more important decisions to benefit farmers.

These decisions were taken in a meeting of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah with Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers, Mansukh S. Mandaviya in New Delhi. 

The following 5 important decisions were taken in the said meeting-

1. There are about 1 lakh Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Societies present across the country. On the basis of mapping, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) which are not functioning as fertilizer retailers will be identified and they will be encouraged to function as retailers on the basis of feasibility in a phased manner.

2. PACS which are not currently functioning as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samridhi Kendras (PMKSK) will be brought under the ambit of PMKSK.

3. PACS will be connected with the marketing of organic fertilizers, especially Fermented Organic Manure (FoM) / Liquid Fermented Organic Manure (LFOM) / Phosphate Enriched Organic Manure (PROM).

4. Under the Market Development Assistance (MDA) scheme of Department of Fertilizers, fertilizer companies will act as an aggregator for small bio-organic producers to market the end product, in this supply and marketing chain of bio-organic fertilizers PACS will also be included as wholesalers/retailers.

5. PACS can also be employed as Drone entrepreneurs for spraying fertilizers and pesticides. Drones can also be used for survey of property.

These moves are expected to increase the income of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, as well as increase the employment opportunities in rural areas and farmers will be able to get fertilizers, pesticides, seeds and agricultural machinery at the local level.

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