NABARD’s 44th Foundation Day
Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 15: The 44th Foundation Day of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Srinagar, marking a historic milestone for Jammu & Kashmir in the realm of cooperative development and digital transformation.
The event brought together key stakeholders from the cooperative and banking sectors, highlighting NABARD’s four-decade journey of empowering rural India. A special presentation showcased the institution’s achievements and its evolving role in strengthening grassroots financial systems.
Vikas Mittal, General Manager, NABARD, spotlighted the Union Territory’s remarkable progress in cooperative digitization. He announced that Jammu & Kashmir has become the first region in India to achieve full ePACS status under the Centrally Sponsored Project for Computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). A total of 537 PACS have been successfully digitized, enabling dynamic day-end operations and ERP-based audits – a national first.
“This achievement is not just about numbers; it’s about transforming governance,” said Mohammed Shafi Chak, Registrar, Cooperative Societies. “Audits for FY 2023-24 have already been completed on the ePACS platform, and those for FY 2024-25 are nearing completion – a testament to the transparency and efficiency brought by this reform.”
Babila Rakwal, Commissioner/Administrative Secretary, emphasized the significance of this year’s celebration, which coincides with the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC). She noted that NABARD’s initiatives in J&K embody the IYC’s spirit by demonstrating how technology and policy support can empower cooperatives to drive inclusive development and community resilience.
The event also featured a felicitation ceremony honouring the contributions of Jammu &Kashmir State Cooperative Bank, Anantnag CCB, Baramulla CCB, Jammu CCB, PACS Secretaries and System Integrator personnel who played a pivotal role in this transformation.
As NABARD celebrates over four decades of service, Jammu & Kashmir’s success story stands as a national model – showcasing the power of coordinated action, digital innovation and institutional reform in revitalizing rural economies.
General Manager, NABARD also appreciated the proactive role played by the bureaucrats and offices of cooperative departments in achieving various milestones under the PACS Computerisation project in UT of J&K.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
