The Computerization Project for Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCSs) of all States and Union Territories is scheduled to be launched on January 30, 2024, in New Delhi. This is a significant step towards realizing the vision of ‘Sahkaar Se Samriddhi’ under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Agri Start-Ups, is leading the initiative. Leading this revolutionary project is the Ministry of Cooperation in partnership with the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
Modernizing Cooperative Sector: A Digital Leap
Under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Agri Start-Ups Amit Shah, the Ministry of Cooperation is dedicated to making crores of farmers prosperous through strategic initiatives. The Computerization of ARDB and RCS offices across all States and Union Territories is a pivotal step towards realizing Prime Minister Modi's vision of ‘Sahkaar Se Samriddhi.’ This project underscores the Modi government's commitment to modernize the cooperative sector, enhancing efficiency by bringing the entire cooperative ecosystem onto a digital platform.
Computerization Project Scope and Objectives
The Computerization Project of ARDBs aims at computerizing 1851 units located in 13 States/UTs and linking them with NABARD through a Common National Software. This ambitious initiative seeks to boost operational efficiency, accountability, and transparency in ARDBs. The adoption of a Common Accounting System (CAS) and Management Information System (MIS) will standardize business procedures, reducing transaction costs and facilitating real-time data access. This approach is poised to benefit small and marginal farmers connected with ARDBs through Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACSs) at the grassroots level.
Empowering RCS Offices: A Paperless Future
In the second major initiative, the Ministry of Cooperation is focusing on the Computerization of offices of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) in all States and Union Territories. The goal is to motivate RCS offices to paperless functioning and implement an IT-oriented workflow aligned with Cooperative Acts and Regulations. This initiative aims at improving efficiency, accountability, and transparency in RCS offices, incorporating analytics and MIS, and ensuring linkage with the national database.
PACSs Transformation and National Cooperative Database
As part of the broader initiatives, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACSs) across the country are being computerized and linked to NABARD through Common National Software. Over 50,000 PACSs have already been onboarded as Common Service Centers (CSCs), with more than 30,000 already providing digital services. Additionally, the Ministry of Cooperation has established a new National Cooperative Database, containing data from over 8 lakh cooperative societies. This comprehensive database is set to launch soon, becoming accessible to all stakeholders.
More than 1200 participants, including senior officials from all states and union territories, secretaries of cooperative departments, Registrars of Cooperative Societies, and Presidents of State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks, are expected to attend Tuesday's event. Representatives of Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs) and ARDB units will also be present, highlighting the broad spectrum of stakeholders involved in this transformative endeavor.
