Bihar’s Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) are increasingly diversifying beyond their traditional role in agriculture, with the ‘Dadar Neer’ initiative of Dadar PACS in Kaimur emerging as an example of cooperative entrepreneurship.
The initiative involves production and marketing of packaged drinking water, creating a new avenue for income generation and employment at the grassroots level.
The initiative reflects the changing role of PACS under the cooperative development drive, as societies explore activities beyond crop-related services and credit. By entering the packaged drinking water segment, Dadar PACS is seeking to create an additional source of revenue while generating local employment opportunities.
The ‘Dadar Neer’ initiative also highlights how PACS can utilise local resources, cooperative infrastructure and community participation to develop sustainable business activities. Such diversification can strengthen the financial viability of PACS and contribute to greater economic self-reliance in rural areas.
The Bihar initiative underlines the broader potential of PACS to evolve into multipurpose grassroots economic institutions, supporting farmers and rural communities through a wider range of products and services.
