Patna : Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah is set to inaugurate a series of projects in Bihar during his two-day visit on March 29-30. Amit Shah will arrive in Patna on the evening of March 29 and will launch several schemes under the Cooperative Department at Bapu Auditorium, Patna, on March 30.
According to officials, the event will witness the participation of representatives from 5,350 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Fishermen Cooperative Societies, Weavers Cooperative Societies, 1,000 milk producer cooperative societies, 300 block-level vegetable producer cooperative societies, and 300 handloom weavers’ societies.
Empowering Rural Banking and Agriculture
Amit Shah will distribute micro ATMs to cooperative societies through Bihar State Cooperative Bank, enabling doorstep banking services in rural areas. A Makhana Processing Centre will be inaugurated in Darbhanga under the Integrated Cooperative Development Project, aimed at enhancing value addition for Makhana producers and ensuring a permanent market at reasonable prices.
In addition, 11 warehouses will be inaugurated, facilitating better storage and supply chain management for agricultural produce. Certificates of registration will be distributed to newly formed milk cooperative societies, and certificates for loan disbursement will be awarded to Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
Boosting Healthcare and Education
The visit will also see the inauguration of a Jan Aushadhi Kendra to provide affordable medicines and Common Service Centres (CSCs) to enhance access to government services. He will inaugurate the newly built hostel of the Deep Narayan Singh Regional Cooperative Management Institute in Patna and lay the foundation stone for warehouse construction under the world’s largest food storage scheme.
E-PACS Initiative and Cooperative Expansion
As part of efforts to modernise cooperative societies, 500 PACS will be declared as e-PACS, with certificates distributed to mark the beginning of their digital transformation. The initiative aims to make PACS multi-purpose, integrating various state and centrally sponsored schemes to improve rural livelihoods.
Legal Caution on Prenatal Sex Determination
Amid these developmental initiatives, officials reiterated the legal consequences of prenatal sex determination. Operators of ultrasound centres violating the law face imprisonment of up to five years and a fine of up to Rs50,000. Unregistered centres conducting such tests could face permanent closure, while relatives of pregnant women seeking these tests may be fined Rs1,000.
