law kumar mishra
PATNA: Former Member of the Legislative Council (MLC) and the ruling Janata Dal (United) spokesman Ranbir Nandan on Wednesday said that Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had begun the exercise to raise the income of the farmers soon after coming to power in November 2005.
Ranbir said the chief minister rid the farmers of the morass of the marketing board and set up primary agriculture credit societies (PACs) opening new vistas of economic development of farmers in the villages. “The PACs policy has brought about radical changes in the farm sector and ushered in a sort of farm revolution in the state. From purchase of seeds and fertilizers to procurement of agricultural products at minimum support price, PACs have served the farmers since 2005,” he said.
The JDU spokesman said that the PACs have been shaped in such a manner that they have now become the base of the rural economy and serve as friends of the farmers. The farmers are free to elect their PACs members due to the holding of regular elections, he added.
The JDU leader said, “All the 8462 PACs will be linked with the core banking service and arrangement for loans has also been made to help farmers. In the first phase, 294 PACs have been linked with the core banking service. The cooperative department has released Rs 3.40 lakh per PACs for computerization and their linking with the banking network software. It will provide micro ATM facilities to the farmers.”
The former MLC said that procurement of kharif crops has been completed and the process of procurement of wheat has begun. “Altogether 11,854 applications for procurement of wheat including 361 applications from Vyapar Mandals have been received so far. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar has already directed to procure farm products from all farmers. This is an important step towards giving MSP to the farmers,” he added.
The JDU leader said that the government’s efforts to strengthen PACs have attracted the youths to participate in the cooperative movement. “The 19-year Sadhana has created a history of sorts by winning the PACs election in Baulia panchayat in Manihari sub-division of Katihar district. This is also victory of efforts of chief minister Nitish Kumar as PACs are writing new history in the rural economy,” he said.