Union Cooperation Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani, accompanied by Joint Secretary Siddharth Jain and Director Mukesh Kumar, visited Odisha today to assess the state’s ambitious cooperative sector reforms.
The high-level delegation attended the 4th meeting of the State Cooperation Development Committee (SCDC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anu Garg.
The meeting highlighted Odisha’s significant progress in modernising the cooperative ecosystem in line with the Centre’s “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” vision. Key achievements presented included large-scale computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) offices, rapid operationalisation of new PACS and Large-sized Adivasi Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS), and the transformation of these societies into multi-purpose single-window service centres.
A major focus was the implementation of the world’s largest grain storage plan. Discussions centred on constructing godowns in every PACS, allocating at least one acre of government land for infrastructure development, strengthening paddy procurement centres, and expanding fertiliser distribution through cooperatives (targeting 60% of the state’s requirement this year).
The Centre lauded Odisha’s proactive steps to set up Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Common Service Centres, NAFED outlets, and Amul-style parlours inside PACS, along with milk procurement systems and cadre rules for professional CEOs.
Other transformative initiatives discussed included strengthening cooperative banking, reviving the dormant Badamba and Vijayanaganda sugar mills, and ensuring greater participation of women in the cooperative movement.
Union Secretary Bhutani expressed satisfaction with Odisha’s performance and assured full central support. After the SCDC meeting, he chaired a virtual review with all District Collectors, directing them to fast-track land transfer for the grain storage project and hold regular District Cooperation Development Committee (DCDC) meetings.
Later, Bhutani inaugurated a Digital & IT Skill Development Training Programme for PACS and LAMPS staff, organised in collaboration with Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL). He also visited the OMFED headquarters and emphasised the need for better coordination among cooperative institutions to build a robust, self-reliant cooperative structure.
Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Cooperation, Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, thanked the central team and reiterated Odisha’s commitment to collaborative growth.
Odisha’s Cooperatives Go Digital: Union Secretary Launches IT Training for 5,422 PACS Officials
In a landmark move to modernise grassroots cooperatives, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, IAS, Union Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, formally launched the statewide IT Proficiency Enhancement Training through OS-CIT for officials of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large Area Multipurpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPCS) today at the Lokaseva Convention Hall.
A total of 5,422 officials from 2,711 PACS/LAMPCS across all 314 blocks of Odisha joined the inaugural session in a massive hybrid event, connecting from OKCL Authorised Learning Centres (ALCs) in every district.
The initiative is a joint effort of the Cooperation Department, Government of Odisha and Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL). Speaking at the launch, Dr. Bhutani underlined the pivotal role of PACS in agricultural credit and rural financial inclusion. “Digital capacity building at the grassroots level is no longer optional — it is essential for transparency, efficiency and better service delivery to farmers,” he said.
Rajesh Prabhakar Patil, IAS, explained the programme’s objectives and stressed the need to align cooperative institutions with contemporary digital governance systems. The training curriculum covers basic digital literacy, e-governance portals, AI awareness, cybersecurity best practices and office productivity tools.
The event was also attended by senior officials, including Siddharth Jain, IAS (Joint Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation), Mukesh Kumar (Director, Co-operative Policy & Parliament), Vijay Amruta Kulange, IAS (MD, OMFED), and Dr. Pradeep Kumar Raut (Special Secretary, Electronics & IT and CEO, OCAC).
Dr. Manoranjan Puthal, Managing Director, OKCL, gave a detailed overview of the OS-CIT course that will now reach thousands of cooperative officials across the state.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks by Siddhartha Das, IAS, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Odisha. The seamless statewide coordination was led by CS Sasmita Panda, Senior General Manager, OKCL.
With this launch, Odisha has taken a decisive step towards embedding digital transformation at the very foundation of its cooperative structure.
