ANANTAPUR: The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)-sponsored Integrated Cooperative Development Programme (ICDP) was launched in the district on Wednesday. The four-year scheme is aimed at strengthening selected cooperative societies, Collector D. Kadmiel said.

The scheme had been introduced in a few selected States in the country to transform Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS) into multipurpose societies by strengthening them financially, he said. The scheme would cover only the societies with more than 50 per cent repayment of loans.

Poor performance

Though there were about 4,000 cooperative societies in the district, only about 30 per cent of them were functioning viably. He attributed political involvement in the affairs of societies for their poor performance, thought he concept was very old.

A total of Rs. 18.52 crore would be spent in four years under the scheme for different activities to be taken up by the PACS.

The societies would be made self-reliant by taking up activities like collection of deposits, supply of agriculture implements, supply of fertilisers and pesticides, agriculture extension work, extending financial assistance to weavers, sericulture, fisheries, dairy and sheep farming apart from agriculture credit.

Besides, development human resources through proper training would also be taken up as part of the ICDP. A committee of experts from different departments would review the progress of the scheme regularly.

Chairman of District Cooperative Central Bank (DCCB) T. Kona Reddy hoped that the scheme would develop the societies into self-reliant entities by making the staff responsible.

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