Urban Development Minister Suresh Bhardwaj called on Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah at New Delhi today.While apprising about Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs), Suresh Bhardwaj urged that the scope of scheme for coverage of FPOs as cooperative societies should be expanded to all the blocks of the State, irrespective of whether they have been covered under Integrated Cooperative Development Project (ICDP) or not. He said that FPOs constituted by the State Cooperative Department should also be given the same set of incentives which NABARD is following for the FPOs formed by it.
He said that the interest subvention related to Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) is available only to agriculture/horticulture related infrastructure. He requested to extend this facility to cooperatives working in health, education, MSMEs and eco-tourism sectors. He said that in case there is provision for collateral free loans up to Rs. 20 lakhs in case of Cooperative Societies, many more societies can avail benefit of schemes like ICDP or PACS schemes.He further informed that the department is planning to organise an induction training cum sensitisation workshop for the members of the newly formed FPOs wherein experts from various fields, especially agri-marketing would be participating. He requested the Union Minister to spare some moments for interacting with the participants and sharing his thoughts and ideas in the conclave.Union Minister heard the demands and assured of all possible assistance.