The Gujarat government, as announced by Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, plans to transform Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) into Common Service Centres and deploy over 12,000 micro-ATMs in 14,330 gram panchayats. This initiative aims to bolster last-mile banking and service delivery, facilitating the provision of more than 75 government services within villages. Additionally, 36 lakh animal rearers have received RuPay debit cards to promote financial inclusion efforts.
Under the Interest Subvention Scheme, the government has raised the provision from Rs 1,200 crore to Rs 1,539 crore to ensure timely and affordable loans. Farmers who repay loans promptly are eligible for interest-free loans up to Rs three lakh, aiming to reduce farming costs. Gujarat, known as a cooperative hub, is focusing on value addition, green energy, and export opportunities in the cooperative sector.
Vaghani highlighted the establishment of bio-CNG plants by Banas Dairy in Banaskantha, where dung from animal rearers is procured daily at Rs one per kilogram, leading to increased income for farmers. The state government has allocated Rs 60 crore to set up similar plants in milk unions. Cooperative products from Gujarat are set to access international markets through National Cooperative Export Limited and National Cooperative Organics Limited, fostering the ‘local to global’ vision.
In a seminar on sustainable saline aquaculture in South Gujarat, discussions centered on promoting high-value shrimp production and export-led growth. Vaghani emphasized the government’s support for fishermen, including infrastructure development in coastal areas and schemes to boost their livelihoods. Long-term strategies for the fisheries sector align with the goal of a developed nation by 2047, focusing on production growth, income doubling for fishermen, and sustainable development.
