Telangana Pushes Modernisation of Agricultural Cooperatives to Boost Rural Economy

Hyderabad — Officials in Telangana have been tasked with advancing the modernisation of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, with an emphasis on building institutional capacity, diversifying economic activities, and integrating digital technologies to enhance competitiveness and long-term viability.

The directive emerged during a State Cooperative Development Committee meeting held at the Secretariat on Friday, which brought together Union Cooperation Secretary Ashish Kumar Butani and Telangana Chief Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao. The gathering included senior representatives from the Union Ministry of Cooperation, state government departments, and the cooperative sector to deliberate on strengthening cooperative institutions across Telangana.

Ramakrishna Rao highlighted Telangana's established and dynamic cooperative movement, noting its considerable capacity to contribute to inclusive economic advancement. He urged officials to prioritise viable, service-focused cooperative structures operating at the community level, particularly emphasising the need to reinforce Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies as robust institutions serving rural populations.

The cooperative sector presents substantial opportunities for growth, particularly within dairy and fisheries, according to the Chief Secretary. These domains hold significant promise for generating employment and income streams for agricultural communities. Officials were instructed to pinpoint priority areas warranting cooperative enhancement, with emphasis on strengthened governance frameworks, digital infrastructure integration, financial management improvements, and workforce development initiatives.

The state government remains committed to establishing more sustainable PACS operations through contemporary institutional practices, Ramakrishna Rao stated.

Surendra Mohan, Secretary for Agriculture and Cooperation, outlined the cooperative sector's contributions to rural socio-economic development. He reported that 60,925 cooperative societies are currently operational across Telangana, underscoring the expansive reach and institutional strength of the cooperative movement in the state.

The state administration is fully supportive of the central government's computerisation initiative for PACS, Mohan indicated. This technological upgrade is expected to enhance transparency, operational efficiency, and the quality of services delivered to members.

As part of efforts to diversify rural economic activity, the Telangana Cooperative Union is facilitating the transformation of 311 PACS into Farmer Producer Organisations. This transition would enable farmers to achieve improved access to markets, enhanced value creation, and greater negotiating power in collective transactions.

A comprehensive state-level cooperative policy is currently in development, designed to establish a strategic framework for sector growth and modernisation. The emerging policy framework will promote professional administration, fiscal sustainability, and technological advancement across cooperative institutions. It will also facilitate cooperative sector expansion into new and emerging markets.

The meeting was attended by Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Cooperation Siddarth Jain, Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra, Animal Husbandry Secretary Ilambarthi, and other government officials.