Chief Secretary SS Sandhu has directed the officers of the cooperative department to focus on simplification of the process of disbursal of loans so that maximum number of people could avail the benefit of different welfare schemes of the department. He presided over a review meeting of the department on Monday. In the meeting, the CS directed the officers to put special emphasis on setting up the food processing units in the mountainous areas of the State. He said focus on branding and marketing of the local products should be done by setting up small packaging units in the mountainous areas with the help of the private sector. The CS directed that a presentation should be prepared in this regard in which a roadmap of next three to five years is set up. The CS said that the Mukhyamantri Ghasyari Kalyan Yojana which is currently in operation in the four districts as a pilot project should be extended to all the districts of the State. He also said that the supply of the silage as per the demand should be ensured. The CS suggested that short and long term projects should be prepared after holding meetings with the stakeholders. The CS said that cluster based farming can play an important role in the land rendered barren in the mountainous areas of the State under the State Integrated Cooperative Development Project. He opined that this would help in repopulating the areas, create employment opportunities, increase production and help in preventing migration. He said the focus should be on crops which are not damaged by wild animals such as boars and monkeys.

The CS said that under the Mukhyamantri Motorcycle Taxi scheme, the limit has been increased to Rs five lakhs from the existing one lakh. He directed that the computerization of the Multipurpose Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (MPACS) should be done at a faster pace and the system of e office should commence in all district offices of the department from the month of December. Sandhu directed that an annual work calendar of the department should be prepared and all the activities should be done in a planned way as per the schedule. He said that while making arrangements of funds for the schemes emphasis should be on getting funds on the minimum possible interest rate. The CS said that the dovetailing of the option should be done to get maximum benefits. He suggested that maximum benefit of the cheap loans being provided by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) should be done for infrastructural development.

 The secretary of the department BVRC Purushottam, registrar cooperatives Alok Pandey, additional registrar Ira Upreti and others were present on the occasion.