CHENNAI: The Department of Cooperation has successfully established 1,960 multi-service centres throughout the state. This conversion of village-level primary agriculture cooperative credit societies into multi-service centres has empowered these credit societies to offer technological, logistical, and equipment support to farmers, thereby decreasing their input costs, a release said.
Historically, primary agriculture cooperative credit societies mainly offered loans for agricultural activities. Currently, the state has a total of 4,453 PACCS and 25 large-scale Adivasi multi-purpose societies (LAMPS), of which 2,000 are proposed to be converted into multi-service centres. The project is funded through loans obtained from National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).
Official sources said work orders have been issued to upgrade village-level credit societies into multi-service centres. “Small farmers facing challenges due to inadequate equipment or malfunctioning machinery and will no longer need to make significant investments in purchasing new equipment or resorting to private rentals. They will be supported by credit societies at a minimal cost,” an official said.
Besides providing storage facilities, the MSCs will offer logistics facilities for transportation of agricultural produce and supply of both pre-harvest and post-harvest equipment.
Moreover, tailored to the specific needs of farmers in the region, the MSCs will function as agri-clinics, providing services such as soil and water testing, offering optimal recommendations for soil nutrients, assessing soil suitability for crops, and engaging in the distribution and sale of fertilizers and seeds, added the official.