Single National Software Network
Single National Software Network
Government of India is implementing the Project for Computerization of functional PACS with a total financial outlay of ₹2,516 Crore, which entails bringing all the functional PACS onto an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) based common national software, linking them with NABARD through State Cooperative Banks (StCBs) and District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs). The National Level Common Software for the project has been developed by NABARD and 25,904 PACS have been onboarded on ERP software in 27 States/ UTs as on 21.07.2024.
In order to increase the viability of PACS and diversify their business activities to make them vibrant economic entities at Panchayat level, Model Byelaws for PACS have been prepared by the Government after consultation with all the stakeholders and circulated to all the States/ UTs on 5th January, 2023 for their adoption by PACS after making suitable changes as per respective State Cooperative Acts. These will enable PACS to diversify their business activities by undertaking more than 25 business activities, including dairy, fishery, floriculture, setting up godowns, procurement of foodgrains, fertilizers, seeds, LPG/CNG/Petrol/Diesel distributorship, short-term & long-term credit, custom hiring centers, common service centers, Fair Price Shops (FPS), community irrigation, Business Correspondent activities, etc. By adopting Model Byelaws, PACS would be able to serve as multi-service centers, catering to varied needs of member farmers in rural areas. They will help in improving the operational efficiency, transparency and accountability of PACS; providing agricultural credit and various non-credit services to the farmer members thus giving them additional sources of income.
Computerization of PACS project aims to provide a comprehensive ERP solution for entailing more than 25 economic activities prescribed under the Model Bye-Laws for PACS covering various modules such as financial services for short, medium & long term loans, procurement operations, Public Distribution Shops (PDS) operations, business planning, warehousing, merchandising, borrowings, asset management, human resource management, etc.
So far, proposals for computerization of 67,009 PACS from 30 States/ UTs have been sanctioned, for which Rs. 654.23 Cr. has been released as GoI share to the States/UTs concerned. Details of number of PACS sanctioned and GoI share released till date to States/UTs are enclosed as Annexure.
The ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) based common national software brings about efficiency in PACS performance through Common Accounting System (CAS) and Management Information System (MIS). Further, governance and transparency in PACS also improves, leading to speedy disbursal of loans, lowering of transaction cost, reduction in imbalances in payments, seamless accounting with DCCBs and StCBs. It will enhance trustworthiness in the working of PACS among farmers, thus contributing towards realizing the vision of “Sahakar se Samridhi”.
There are more than 13 Crore farmer members associated with about 1.05 lakh PACS. This project enhances farmers access to short-term, medium-term and long-term credit facilities. In addition, computerization of PACS also enables farmers to obtain these services at PACS level itself, through inclusion of different modules for various economic activities, as mentioned under Model Bye-Laws for PACS. It also helps in diversification of PACS economic activities, thus enabling the farmer members to get additional & sustainable sources of income.
ANNEXURE
Computerization of PACS Project
S. No.
States
No. of PACS
GoI Share released
Sanctioned
(in rupees)
1
Andhra Pradesh
2,037
186,747,271
2
Arunachal Pradesh
14
2,700,000
3
Assam
583
88,625,000
4
Bihar
4,495
329,500,000
5
Chhattisgarh
2,028
148,600,000
6
Goa
58
4,450,000
7
Haryana
710
72,916,000
8
Himachal Pradesh
870
168,800,000
9
Jharkhand
1,500
109,900,000
10
Karnataka
5,491
556,400,000
11
Madhya Pradesh
4,534
586,525,000
12
Maharashtra
12,000
1,215,950,000
13
Manipur
232
25,500,000
14
Meghalaya
112
12,300,000
15
Mizoram
25
2,700,000
16
Nagaland
231
28,168,555
17
Punjab
3,482
255,200,000
18
Rajasthan
6,781
670,786,131
19
Sikkim
107
20,800,000
20
Tamil Nadu
4,532
456,820,000
21
Tripura
268
55,915,354
22
Uttar Pradesh
5,686
535,841,650
23
West Bengal
4,167
305,400,000
24
Uttarakhand
670
36,874,057
25
Gujarat
5,754
583,000,000
26
Jammu & Kashmir
537
67,678,040
27
Puducherry
45
6,075,000
28
Andaman & Nicobar
46
6,881,462
29
Ladakh
10
1,200,000
30
DNH & DD
4
–
Total
67,009
6,542,253,520
This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha.