SRINAGAR: Commissioner Secretary Cooperative Department, Babila Rakwal, today chaired a meeting to review the functioning and performance of Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) across Jammu and Kashmir and identify areas for their improvement.
The meeting was attended by Registrar Cooperative Societies, Mohammad Shafiq Chak; Special Secretary Cooperative Department, Additional Registrar Cooperative Societies Jammu, Director Finance Cooperative Department, Deputy Registrar from Jammu and Kashmir besides, Representative of NCDC, GM Anantnag Central Cooperative Bank, GM Jammu Central Cooperative Bank, MD KAMCO Bank, Chairman JKDCF and other concerned officers.
Speaking during the meeting, the Commissioner Secretary directed CBBOs to bring up issues and difficulties being faced by them to the department for taking up the matter with the appropriate authorities. She stressed on them to maintain transparency and accountability in financial transactions and urged for strengthening governance, management structures, enhancing capacity building and training for FPO members.
She also asked the CBBOs of ACCB and JCCB to work in coordination with their allotted mentors, so that their FPOs can start business activities by ending FY 2025-26.
The Commissioner Secretary instructed the concerned officers to provide strong institutional and financial backing to FPOs, enhancing marketing linkages, branding and value addition for farm produce. She further directed them to ensure timely monitoring and reporting of FPO activities, and maintaining robust coordination between the cooperative Department, NABARD, NCDC, and CBBOs for sustainable growth.
During the meeting, Registrar Cooperative Societies gave a brief presentation on 61 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) that have been registered as FPOs, 32 in Jammu Division and 29 in Kashmir Division. He further briefed that 25 FPOs are doing business as on date while 7 FPOs have been provided market linkage/credit linkage facilities by CBBOs.
He also said that this review meeting is expected to lead to improved functioning of FPOs, enhanced transparency and accountability, and better achievement of targets, ultimately benefiting farmers and the agricultural community in Jammu and Kashmir.