The State government has decided against taking up reorganisation of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS), as planned earlier in tune with the increased number of mandals in districts other than Hyderabad — from 443 to 573 — and conduct the elections only for the existing societies.
One of the main reasons attributed for the delay in conduct of elections to PACS committees whose elected term was over in January-February 2018 has been the government’s plan to reorganise the societies in tune with the increased number of mandals to serve the farmers better. “That’s the reason why the special committees led by persons in-charge (PIC) were put in place to administer the societies for the last two years by extending their term every six months,” a senior official told The Hindu.
There are a total of 906 PACS and 40 Farmers’ Service Cooperative Societies (FSCS) with over 20 lakh farmers as their members. Erstwhile Nizamabad district has the highest PACS of 144, followed by Karimnagar (125), Medak (111), Nalgonda (110), Warangal (98), Khammam (97), Adilabad (77), Mahabubnagar (76) and Rangareddy (68).
Elections to the societies were last held in January-February 2013. Since the Chief Minister has directed completion of the cooperative elections at the earliest, it has been decided to shelve the reorganisation idea, which the sources said is a complicated and cumbersome exercise, for now due to paucity of time.
“It was planned to reorganise the societies to serve the farmers better in line with the government plans to form crop colonies to structure their produce as also its organised disposal,” the official said adding that the societies play a crucial role in supply of fertilizers and subsidised seed to farmers and procurement of some crops such as paddy from farmers. Since there is no reorganisation this time, the cooperative elections would be held as per the old districts, prior to their reorganisation.
Notification
Meanwhile, Additional Registrar of Cooperative Societies V. Sumitra, who is State Cooperative Election Authority, has issued orders on Thursday to complete the constitution of managing committees of PACS and FSCS by February 15. Accordingly, the notification was issued by the State Authority and the PACS/FSCS-wise election notice by the election officers would be issued on February 2.
Nominations would be accepted for three days from February 6, scrutiny would be done on February 9 and withdrawal of nominations would be allowed till February 10. Polling would be held on February 15 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. and counting of votes would be taken up immediately after polling. Results would be announced on the same day and election of office-bearers would be completed in the next three days.
