Govt extends terms of PIC Committees for 2,024 PACS

Vijayawada: The state government has extended the tenure of official persons-in-charge (PICs) and non-official PIC committees, i.e., three-member committees, for 2,024 primary agricultural cooperative societies (PACS) across the state. The extension, effective from January 31 to July 30, was issued on Wednesday by agriculture and cooperation department special chief secretary B Rajsekhar through GO Rt No 60.

The move aims to ensure uninterrupted management and smooth functioning of PACS until elections are conducted or further orders are issued. The order includes 1,903 existing non-official PIC committees and 96 official PICs, along with 16 new non-official PICs, and six official PICs were appointed to fill vacancies caused by resignations, retirements, transfers, or deaths of office bearers.

The extension covers PACS across multiple districts, including Srikakulam (36 societies), Vizianagaram (5), Parvathipuram Manyam (34), Visakhapatnam (13), Anakapalli (74), Alluri Seetharama Raju, Paderu (20), Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema (165), Kakinada (55), East Godavari (104), West Godavari (117), Eluru (135), Krishna (205), NTR Vijayawada (126), Guntur (57), Bapatla (110), Palnadu (58), Prakasam (93), SPSR Nellore (73), Chittoor (37), Tirupati (58), YSR Kadapa (45), Annamayya (35), Kurnool (43), Nandyal (54), Anantapur (48), and Sri Satya Sai (49). Special chief secretary Rajsekhar said that the government exercised powers under Section 123 of the APCS Act, 1964, to exempt these societies from the time limits specified in Section 32(7)(a) of the same Act.

The commissioner for cooperation and registrar of cooperative societies have been directed to implement follow-up actions. He added that the extension would help maintain stability in the rural cooperative credit system until formal elections are held.