Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society in Odisha revert to ledger as internet goes down
BHUBANESWAR: Two years after the launch of an integrated core banking solution project covering all three tiers of short term cooperative credit structure, most of the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (PACS) have reverted to the old ledger system due to a host of problems.
Poor internet connectivity has been a major hindrance in the path.
The state government initiated computerisation programme of PACS and LAMPS (Large Area Multi Purpose Cooperative Societies) in 2013 and awarded the job to VSoft Technologies, global provider of information and technology solutions for financial institutions.
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Of the 2,708 PACS and LAMPS in the State, computerisation of 2,600 societies was taken up in the first
phase. While 2,365 societies successfully completed the process of migration to the data centre of Odisha State Cooperative Bank (OSCB), only 655 societies are using real-time data, official sources said. In the absence of dedicated broadband connections, the State Government decided to provide connectivity to these primary societies through GPRS (general packet radio service).
As GPRS connectivity was not feasible in some areas, steps were taken to provide internet connection through VSAT.
As per the data available from Cooperation Department, at 581 PACS where other mode of connectivity is not feasible are not being able to set VSAT due to fund crunch.
Even after two years of PACS computerisation programme launch, many of the societies are still doing business manually as the new system is not fully functional due to a host of reasons, informed sources said.
The computerisation project was launched without assessing availability of necessary infrastructure like proper house, electricity, availability of computer operators at PACS.
Most of the PACS, where data migration had occurred and the societies had reportedly gone online, are also facing software snags, poor and improper migration of data, inadequate data on the system post migration.
Leader of the Congress Legislature Party and chairman of the standing committee on Cooperation Department Narasingh Mishra said the committee has recommended the state government to complete digitisation of PACS and resolve the internet connectivity problem within a definite time frame.
Since PACS employees are not computer literate to handle the core banking system, the committee has suggested the Government to arrange training programme to make them computer savvy to efficiently handle the multifarious business of PACS.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik inaugurated PACS computerisation programme with the launching of RuPay Kisan Cards at a state-level function here in June 30, 2017.
Digitisation goes wrong
Government initiated computerisation programme of PACS and LAMPS in 2013.
Job given to VSoft Technologies, global provider of IT solutions for financial institutions.
Of 2,708 PACS and LAMPS in the State, computerisation of 2,600 societies was taken up in first phase
2,365 societies successfully completed the migration process to the data centre of OSCB.
Only 655 societies using realtime data.
In places where broadband was no possible, government decided to provide connectivity through GPRS.
As GPRS was not feasible in some areas, internet connection was provided through VSAT.
581 PACS unable to set VSAT due to fund crunch.