Patna: Cooperatives minister Prem Kumar announced in the state assembly on Tuesday that the govt will establish agricultural equipment banks in 8,463 Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) units. The initiative will be rolled out in phases, starting with 1,000 PACS in the 2025-26 fiscal year. These equipment banks will be set up under the Mukhyamantri Harit Krishi Sanyatra Yojana (MHKSY), which also includes provisions for Primary Vegetable Cooperative Committees (PVCCs). “Separate funds have been allocated for both components of the MHKSY,” Kumar said. He was responding to a debate on the cooperatives department’s budgetary demand of Rs 1,231 crore for 2025-26. The budget was passed by voice vote under the supervision of assembly Speaker Nand Kishore Yadav while opposition members walked out midway through the minister’s reply. Providing details of the allocation, Kumar said Rs 439 crore has been earmarked for setting up agricultural equipment banks in PACS with each society receiving Rs 15 lakh for the initiative. Also, Rs 434 crore has been designated under the MHKSY for establishing agricultural equipment banks in 2,976 PACS to support PVCCs. A total of 16,910 pieces of equipment will be procured through the GeM portal with purchase orders for 16,485 items already issued.
