BHUBANESWAR: The Centre has asked the state government to identify five primary societies in each district for creation of food grain storage capacity at the primary agriculture cooperative society (PACS) level. The facilities will be set up under the centrally-funded world’s largest grain storage plan.
The criteria for selection of PACS will be on the basis of those viable societies which have a minimum 50 decimal vacant land under their jurisdiction so that construction of storage capacity ranging from 500 tonne to 2,000 tonne could be taken up.
The Baisinga large area multipurpose cooperative society (LAMPS) of Mayurbhanj district has been taken up as a pilot project in the first phase. “This is one of the 24 primary societies in the country to be developed as a modern food grain storage facility using latest technology,” said registrar of cooperative societies UC Majhi.
The decision to roll out the second phase was taken after a recent review of the progress achieved in the first phase by Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Accordingly, the office of the RCS has written to all the divisional deputy registrar of cooperative societies (DRCS) with a direction to furnish the list of PACS/LAMPS by October 27 without fail.
The state has 4,231 PACS. Creation of 500 tonne capacity of storage facility in 150 PACS will add 75,000 tonne storage space. It will not only reduce food grain wastage but also prevent distress sale and enable farmers to realise better price for their crops, Majhi said.