Common Service Centres to be Made Available through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies

Port Blair, March 23: For the first time in the history of A&N Islands, the functioning of Common Service Centres (CSCs) - a citizen centric initiative towards ease of doing business has now been made available through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). This initiative of A&N Administration will further aid in providing Govt. related services at the doorsteps of the citizens. The Chief Secretary, A&N Administration, Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, launched this service through PACS at a function held in the Community Hall of Gram Panchayat, Wimberlygunj here this morning. The Chief Secretary inaugurated the CSC of Bapuji Service Co-operative Society Ltd. Wimberlygunj by cutting the ribbon and 11 other CSCs covering South as well as North & Middle Andaman Districts through video conference in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman, Ms Veditha Reddy, IAS and Secretary (Co-operation), Shri Raajesh Goyal, PRIs and residents of the area. The Chairman/Members of the respective PACs also joined the inaugural ceremony through virtual mode.

Addressing the gathering, the Chief Secretary stated that it's a matter of great pride that for the first time in the Islands, PACS will also be operating the CSCs which were till now operated by private entities. He said, this is a great beginning towards diversification of works and activities of the PACS. The Chief Secretary further stated that by operating CSCs, the income of PACS will increase and the common people will have access to 93 services of the A&N Administration at their vicinity. Apart from the State Services, the common people can also avail the 48 services being provided by the GoI. These include e-stamp, Passport, PAN card, e-Wahan-Sarathi Pariwahan, PMKISAN Credit Card etc.  This will immensely help people to get all these services in their area itself and help in cost cutting incurred in travelling and also save time.

Stating that Cooperatives have the potential to uplift the socio economic status of the people of the Islands, the Chief Secretary urged Cooperative Societies and PACS to register one member from each family of their respective Panchayats in PACS, so as to increase its membership and capital. This move, he said, will help in strengthening the PACS and enable them to further diversify their activities.

While informing about the steps taken for the development and expansion of the Coop Societies by the A&N Administration, the Chief Secretary remarked that the circular restricting the diversification by Coop Societies have been withdrawn and now the Coop societies can take up different activities. He further stated that the Coop dept has doubled the financial assistance (60lakh) provided to Coop societies for different schemes as compared to last year. The proposal for increasing it further is in final stages of consideration, the CS said.

The Chief Secretary mentioned that the process for digitization of PACS has already begun and will be completed by next year. He further informed that an online module for amendment in registration and bye-laws of Cooperative Societies has been initiated and will be made available in the website of the Cooperative Department soon. He informed that apart from the 12 CSCs which have been inaugurated today, 5 more PACs will start operating CSCs by March 31, 2023. Further, a survey is also being carried out for the remaining 29 PACS, to check the feasibility of operating CSCs, he said. The Chief Secretary praised the effort of the Secretary (Cooperation), Officials of the Cooperative Department, Officials of the PACS, Staff of A&N Cooperative Bank, NABARD, SOVTECH and other agencies involved in materializing this project which will help the citizens.

During the inaugural function, some of the Members of the PACs while expressing gratitude to A&N Administration for initiating this citizen friendly services through PACS also put forth their grievances for further strengthening of Co-operatives in A&N Islands.

In his address on the occasion, the Secretary (Co-operation), Shri Raajesh Goyal stated that earlier, the activities of PACS were limited to providing credit to farmers only; but now, they can diversify their activities by taking up varied activities. This project which was conceptualised in the month of October last year, has been launched today after regular deliberations and painstaking efforts by different agencies, he said. 

Earlier, in his welcome address, the Chairman, Bapuji Service Co-operative Society, Shri O. Abdul Aziz expressed his happiness that due to the initiative of the A&N Administration, the PACS will now be able to take up diversified activities for the benefit of the people.

The 11 PACS which will also function as CSCs inaugurated today are  Shoal Bay Service Co-operative Society Ltd., Shoal Bay; Bharati Service Co-operative Society Ltd. ,Ferrargunj;  Little Andaman Service Co-operative Society Ltd., Little Andaman; Janakpur Service Co-operative Society Ltd, Rangat ; Satya Service Co-operative Society Ltd., Baratang;  Subashgram Service Co-operative Society Ltd. Diglipur; Swarajgram Service Co-operative Society Ltd. Diglipur; Kishorinagar Service Co-operative Society Ltd, Diglipur; Kalighat Service Co-operative Society Ltd, Diglipur; Keralapuram, Service Co-operative Society Ltd., Diglipur and Danapur Service Co-operative Society Ltd, Mayabunder.