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MEDZIPHEMA — Nagaland on Thursday earned the distinction as the first state in the country to launch computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) to go live. PACS is a centrally sponsored scheme under the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India.
The launch event took place at Cooperative Training Centre (CTC) in Medziphema with the commissioner and secretary of Cooperation department, Zarenthung Ezung, as guest of honour.
Speaking at the launch event, Ezung said the project for computerisation of functional PACS was approved by the Government of India to strengthen PACS. He added that the project was to bring all the functional PACS into an ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) based common national software, linking them with NABARD through State Cooperative Banks (StCB).
According to the official, the implementation of Common Accounting System (CAS) and Management Information System (MIS) at PACS level under the project would improve governance and transparency in PACS. It would also lead to speedy disbursal of loans, lowering of transaction cost, reduction in imbalances of payments, seamless accounting with StCB.
He also added that it would also increase efficiency in the working of PACS among farmers towards realising the vision of "Sahakar se Samridhi" which means effective strategies to create a seamless and integrated cooperative movement, which is free of any challenges or obstacles.
He asserted that computerisation of PACS project will also provide a comprehensive ERP solution for all the economic activities prescribed under the model byelaws for PACS covering various modules such as financial services for short term loans, procurement operations, public distribution system (PDS), business planning, warehousing, merchandising, borrowings, asset management, human resource management among other features to enable farmers get additional and sustainable sources of income.
Ezung maintained that Nagaland opted to go for computerisation of 33 PACS in the 1st phase and also submitted proposals for 198 PACS in the 2nd phase to the Ministry of Cooperation. He informed that Nagaland is among the first to initiate the 'Go live trial' before the dateline set by the Ministry of Cooperation and delivery of computer hardware to all 33 PACS through a firm vetted through Government eMarket (GEM).
He further asked the PACS members to fully utilise the opportunities which are made available to them for the uplift of economic condition of the society. Besides, he appealed to change their mindset in order to ensure timely repayment of loans saying that loans are not free.
He also stated that PACS can play a pivotal role as a final link between the ultimate borrowers on the one hand and other higher financial agencies such as scheduled commercial banks and Reserved Bank of India (RBI), National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on the other hand.
The chief general manager of NABARD, Tiakala Ao, informed that digitisation of PACS has been a dream of NABARD since 2016-17 to make seamless operations and give better access. She appreciated the stakeholders who have worked hard in reaching a stage to go live in the state of Nagaland.
She stressed on the need for PACS from the state to reinvent themselves as more vibrant societies, increase their capacities, increase membership of the societies and business volumes besides preparing development plans and take initiatives of the various opportunities being provided by the government.
Raj Mallala, managing director from Satra Services and Solutions Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, said the company is covering one-third of computerisation of PACS in the entire country. He informed that the project was taken up as part of Atmanirbharat Abhiyan with an objective to digitalise the PACS with about 1 lakh PACS in the country.
He stated that Nagaland is the fastest state to make any PACS go live in the country along with Tripura and credited the success to the state government of Nagaland, registrar of cooperative societies (RCS) office, NABARD.
Rajesh S Managing, director of Machint Solutions Pvt Ltd, Hyderabad, acknowledged the effort of Nagaland to be the first state to digitise the PACS and go live in the first phase. He also sought more support from the stakeholders for the rest of the programmes.
Short speeches were also delivered by Vikeye Disom, general manager of NStCB, and Ruchinilo Kemp, secretary of Zunpha Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd.
The keynote address was delivered by Bendangenla Longkumer, additional registrar of cooperative society (RCS).
The programme was led by Akangjongshi, deputy registrar of cooperative societies, and concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by John Lorin, sub-registrar of cooperative societies.