Without any fanfare, the UP government has taken an initiative to empower Dalits in rural areas through co-operatives. It is inducting Dalits in primary agriculture cooperative societies across the state by paying their share money, and then training them to run these bodies.

“The government has released Rs 40 lakh to make people from SC/ST communities members of the cooperative bodies in the current financial year,” said Amal Kumar Verma, Principal Secretary of the Cooperative Department.

Already, 33,507 people have been inducted into co-operatives, he said.

The state has over 7,000 primary agricultural co-operative societies (PACS) and the government has fixed target for the induction of SC/ST members in all districts. The main work of PACS is giving farm loans to their members.

The practice of the government paying for the membership to SCs/STs in cooperatives has existed for long, but past governments spent very small amounts for this purpose, said an official.

The Mayawati govenrment has given a new thrust to the practice and never before was so much money spent in a year on this, the official said.

Also for the first time, SC/ST members of primary agriculture cooperative societies are being imparted training by the government.

“About Rs 40 lakh has been allocated for the training this year. Last year too, Rs 50 lakh was spent,” said an official. Two blocks have been identified in every district to organise training camps.

Any villager can become a member of the village PACS by purchasing a share, which costs Rs 20. Against one share, a member can take a loan of Rs 100 for agricultural purposes.

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