Hyderabad: Minister for Agriculture and Co-operation Tummala Nageswara Rao praised the NABARD’s Telangana Regional Office for organising the Telangana Cooperative Conclave 2025 on Monday. The event brought together cooperative leaders, policymakers and farmers to deliberate on strengthening cooperative institutions and promoting inclusive rural development.

Addressing as the chief guest, he described the conclave as a landmark initiative for placing rural transformation at the heart of India’s growth story. Highlighting Telangana’s achievements, he noted that with rice output at 189 lakh tonnes, the state has emerged as the country’s second-largest rice producer. He highlighted that cooperatives embody the principle of “One for all, All for one,” being people-centred rather than capital-centred.

The minister lauded NABARD’s decade-long efforts in strengthening cooperative institutions, particularly the transformation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) into Multi-Service Centres (MSC) and the establishment of Sahakara Sarathi Private Limited to provide technological and operational support. He congratulated NABARD for organising Sahakara Varotsavaalu, which brought diverse cooperative institutions together to reinforce the message of rural prosperity through cooperation.

Konduri Ravinder Rao, Chairman of NAFSCOB, urged farmers to adopt best practices from successful societies and emphasised the untapped potential of inland fisheries.

A tripartite agreement among NABARD, Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank, and 24X7 Moneyworks Consulting Private Limited was signed during the conclave. This agreement will enable the issuance of eKisan Credit Cards (eKCC), allowing farmers to apply for loans digitally.

The conclave also recognised excellence in cooperative performance. Eleven PACS were felicitated by the Agriculture Minister, while 12 PACS functioning as Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) received cheques of Rs 15 lakh each from the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC). NABARD further distributed micro ATMs to VIJAYA Dairy Cooperatives from nine districts, enhancing financial inclusion in rural areas.

The Minister released a booklet documenting NABARD’s interventions in strengthening cooperative institutions over the past decade. S. Manikumar, Chief General Manager (CGM), NABARD, Mumbai, made a presentation on “Technology and Digital Transformation: The Way Ahead for Rural Cooperative Banks.

”Three panel discussions explored strengthening PACS through technology adoption, promoting dairy cooperatives, and advancing fisheries cooperatives. A fireside chat on fisheries highlighted innovative models, marketing linkages, and credit support through PACS. The conclave was attended by Chinmoy Kumar, Regional Director, RBI Hyderabad, Y K Rao, Managing Director, Telangana Cooperative Apex Bank, along with delegates from DCCBs, PACS, FPOs, and farmer organisations. Samrat Mukherjee, General Manager, NABARD Telangana Regional Office, presented the vote of thanks.