Odisha is set to script a new chapter in its cooperative history as Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi will launch the mega membership campaign “Sambandha” on September 1.
The initiative aims to enrol at least one member from every rural household, expanding cooperative services to the grassroots. A new mobile app will also be introduced to ensure seamless and transparent digital registration.
For the first time in the state’s cooperative history, PACS and LAMPS will disburse dividends to farmer members. In the initial phase, over 3 lakh beneficiaries across 180 PACS and LAMPS will receive dividends worth Rs 14 crore, while the State Government will earn Rs 4.22 crore as shareholder returns to be reinvested in cooperative development.
The event will also witness the inauguration of 21 milk collection centres, 50 agro-service centres, 46 consumer centres, and 200 Common Service Centres (CSCs). Additionally, 200 PACS will be integrated into the National Level PACS Software (NLPS) to enhance transparency and efficiency.
Foundation stones will be laid virtually for four model mandis in Kataka, Khordha, and Puri, as well as three warehouses under the Union Government’s grain storage scheme. Appointment letters will also be distributed to 30 candidates selected for the Odisha State Warehousing Corporation (OSWC).
These initiatives are expected to empower farmers socio-economically, strengthen rural cooperative infrastructure, and give Odisha’s cooperative movement a distinct national identity.
