Lok Sabha Question No. 291 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-04
Subject: PACS  in Retail Dealership
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 291

TO BE ANSWERED ON 4 th  FEBRUARY, 2025

## PACS in Retail Dealership

## †291. Shri Pradeep Kumar Singh:

Will the Minister of Cooperation ( सहकारिता मंत्री) be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has permitted Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to take up retail dealership of petrol/diesel pumps;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) whether  any  MoU  has  been  signed  by  the  Ministry  of  Cooperation,  Ministry  of Electronics  and  Information  Technology  and  NABARD  for  ensuring  better  functioning  of PACS as General Service Centres;

(d) if so, the details thereof; and

(e) the manner in which PACS are likely to get help in their strengthening and creating employment opportunities?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH)

(a) and (b): Yes Sir.  Government has permitted Primary Agricultural  Credit  Societies  to take  up  retail  dealership  of  petrol/diesel  pumps.  In  this  regard,  Ministry  of  Petroleum  and Natural Gas has revised its guidelines to prioritize PACS under the Combined Category-2 (CC2) for selection of dealers for regular & rural retail Petrol/ Diesel outlets, for which PACS can apply online as per the advertisements issued by Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs). Further, PACS have also been given one-time option to convert their wholesale consumer pumps into Retail  Outlets  for  which  Ministry  of  Petroleum  and  Natural  Gas  has  released  detailed guidelines.

As informed by OMCs, 286 PACS from 25 States/UTs have submitted online applications to establish retail petrol/diesel outlets, out of which 26 PACS have been selected by OMCs. Under conversion of PACS Wholesale Consumer Pumps into Retail Outlets, OMC reports indicate that  116  PACS  from  5  States  have  agreed  to  this  conversion,  and  56  PACS  have  been commissioned.

(c) to (e): A  Memorandum  of  Understanding  has  been  signed  between  Ministry  of Cooperation,  Ministry  of  Electronics  &  Information  Technology,  NABARD  and  CSC  eGovernance Services India Limited, to enable Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to  provide  more  than  300  e-services  being  delivered  by  Common  Service  Centres  (CSCs), including  banking,  insurance,  Aadhar  enrolment/  updation,  health  services,  agricultural services, etc. in the rural areas of the country. As on 27.1.2025, a total of 42,080 PACS in 33 States/ UTs have started functioning as CSCs.

Through  this  initiative,  farmer  members  and  other  people,  especially  in  rural  areas  of  the country, can access various e-services, including the services mentioned above, nearest to their place of residence thereby improving their ease of living and doing business. Furthermore, it provides additional sources of income to PACS, ultimately benefitting crores of small and marginal farmers associated with them. This aims at transforming PACS into nodal centers for providing  various  citizen-centric  services  and  helping  them  in  becoming  self-sustainable economic entities thereby bringing strengthening the rural economy.

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