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Cooperative telecom scheme a big success

JAIPUR: A cooperative telecom scheme launched in Rajasthan earlier this year for providing information on agriculture through mobile phones has benefited over 25,000 farmers across the State.

According to the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Sudhansh Pant, people in the rural areas have shown a great interest in the scheme which was introduced in January this year through 1,409 cooperative societies by providing mobile handsets, connections and recharge coupons to farmers.

Farmers owning the mobile phones get five text and verbal messages a day covering various aspects of agriculture from a toll-free number.

The Cooperative Department has appointed experts on agronomy, animal husbandry, plant protection and horticulture for answering the queries of agriculturists.

Mr. Pant said the farmers were mostly enquiring about the rates of agricultural produce in mandis, diseases afflicting livestock, weather forecasts, and varieties and treatment of seeds.

After its encouraging results, the scheme will shortly be extended to all village-level cooperative societies across the State.

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