The Government has informed Parliament that the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has significantly strengthened the cooperative ecosystem in Karnataka’s Hassan district through a series of initiatives focused on Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) and rural banking.
According to the Ministry of Finance, NABARD is implementing the Centrally Sponsored PACS Computerization Project covering 215 PACS in the district between 2022 and 2027. The bank has also supported the conversion of PACS into Multi-Service Centres (MSCs) and provided comprehensive infrastructure assistance to improve their functioning.
The Government said six Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) have been sanctioned in Hassan under different NABARD programmes.
Additional cooperative-focused interventions include deployment of Micro ATMs by Hassan District Central Cooperative Bank (DCCB), onboarding the bank to the Public Financial Management System (PFMS), implementation of the Positive Pay System, and financial and digital literacy programmes.
The Ministry added that dedicated NABARD funds, including the Short-Term Cooperative Rural Credit Refinance Fund (STCRC), continue to support cooperative institutions, farmers and rural infrastructure across the country, including Hassan district.
