Regional Workshop at Raipur reviews progress of World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan, White Revolution 2.0 and formation of 2 lakh new cooperative societies

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Regional Workshop at Raipur — World's Largest Grain Storage Plan, White Revolution 2.0 & 2 lakh New Cooperative Societies

1. At a Glance

• A Regional Workshop held at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on 22 May 2026 by the Ministry of Cooperation reviewed three flagship cooperative-sector initiatives for Eastern/Central India [S1].
• Initiatives reviewed: World's Largest Grain Storage Plan (in cooperative sector), White Revolution 2.0, and the formation of 2 lakh new M-PACS/Dairy/Fisheries Cooperative Societies [S1].
• Operationalises the "Sahkar se Samriddhi" vision driven by the Ministry of Cooperation (created 6 July 2021) under Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah [S5].

2. Why in the News

• Regional Workshop at Raipur on 22 May 2026 chaired by Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, with senior officials from Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and West Bengal plus NABARD, FCI, NAFED, NCCF, NDDB and Warehousing Corporations [S1].
• Reviewed the target of 75,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies in five years under White Revolution 2.0 and progress on grain-storage godowns at PACS level [S1][S2].

3. Background & Evolution

• 6 July 2021: Ministry of Cooperation carved out from Ministry of Agriculture [S5].
• 31 May 2023: Union Cabinet approved the World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector as an inter-ministerial convergence scheme [S3].
• 2023-24: Pilot Project — 11 godowns in 11 PACS across 11 States (Maharashtra, UP, TN, Karnataka, Gujarat, MP, Uttarakhand, Assam, Telangana, Tripura, Rajasthan), aggregate capacity 9,750 MT, executed via NCDC, NABARD & NABCONS [S3].
• 19 September 2024: White Revolution 2.0 launched by Ministry of Cooperation; SOP for 2 lakh new PACS/Dairy/Fisheries societies issued the same day [S2][S4].
• 21 November 2024: 500+ additional PACS identified for godown construction [S3].
• 24 July 2025: National Cooperation Policy unveiled [S5].

4. Core Static Facts

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Cooperation, GoI [S1].
• Grain Storage Plan mechanism: Convergence of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), AMI, SMAM, and PMFME; infrastructure includes godowns, custom hiring centres, processing units, Fair Price Shops at PACS level [S3].
• White Revolution 2.0 target: Increase dairy-cooperative milk procurement by 50% over 5 years; reach 1,007 lakh kg/day by 2028-29; 75,000 new DCSs + strengthen 46,422 existing DCSs [S2].
• 2 lakh Cooperatives plan (5-yr breakup): NABARD — 22,750 (Phase I) + 47,250 (Phase II) PACS; NDDB — 56,500 new + 46,500 strengthened DCSs; NFDB — 6,000 new + 5,500 strengthened fisheries societies; States — 25,000 PACS [S4].
• Progress (as cited): 35,395 new societies formed so far — 6,182 M-PACS, 27,562 dairy, 1,651 fisheries [S4].
• Implementing partners: NABARD, NDDB, NFDB, NCDC, FCI, NAFED, NCCF, Warehousing Corporations [S1][S4].

5. Multi-Dimensional Analysis

• Economic: Decentralised storage at PACS reduces post-harvest losses, cuts transport costs, allows farmers to avoid distress sales by pledging stored grain; convergence model mobilises existing scheme funds rather than fresh outlays [S3].
• Social / Gender: ~70% of dairy workforce is women; dairy cooperatives shift women from homemakers to entrepreneurs with access to organised markets and financial inclusion [S1][S2].
• Federal / Administrative: Six Eastern/Central States (Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, MP, Odisha, West Bengal) targeted to replicate the Gujarat (Amul) model; relies on State cooperative departments for last-mile registration [S1][S4].
• Sustainability: Workshop emphasised circular-economy and sustainability models in cooperatives amid the global energy crisis [S1].
• Constitutional: 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 inserted Part IX-B and Article 43-B (promotion of cooperative societies as DPSP); cooperatives remain a State subject (Entry 32, List II), necessitating Centre-State coordination as flagged at the workshop [S1].

6. Recent Developments (last 12-18 months)

• 19 Sep 2024: Launch of White Revolution 2.0 and SOP for 2 lakh new societies [S2][S4].
• 21 Nov 2024: 500+ PACS identified for storage-godown expansion [S3].
• 24 Jul 2025: National Cooperation Policy released [S5].
• 22 May 2026: Raipur Regional Workshop review [S1].

7. Prelims Hooks

• World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector approved by Union Cabinet on 31 May 2023 [S3].
• Pilot covered 11 PACS in 11 States, total 9,750 MT [S3].
• Implementing partners for pilot: NCDC + NABARD + NABCONS [S3].
• Plan converges AIF, AMI, SMAM, PMFME schemes [S3].
• White Revolution 2.0 launched on 19 Sep 2024 by Ministry of Cooperation (not Ministry of Fisheries, AH & Dairying) [S2].
• Target: dairy-cooperative milk procurement = 1,007 lakh kg/day by 2028-29 (50% rise) [S2].
• 75,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies + strengthen 46,422 existing [S2].
• 2 lakh societies target = PACS + Dairy + Fisheries combined over 5 years [S4].
• NABARD to form 70,000 PACS (22,750 + 47,250) of the target [S4].
• Ministry of Cooperation created on 6 July 2021 [S5].
• National Cooperation Policy released on 24 July 2025 [S5].
• Workshop venue: Raipur, Chhattisgarh, dated 22 May 2026 [S1].
• Eastern/Central States covered: Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, MP, Odisha, West Bengal [S1].

8. Mains Relevance

• GS-II: Government policies and interventions; cooperative federalism.
• GS-III: Agriculture — storage, marketing, food processing; animal husbandry economics; inclusive growth.
• Plausible stems: 1. "Decentralised storage at PACS level can simultaneously address food security and farmer income volatility." Examine in light of the World's Largest Grain Storage Plan. 2. "White Revolution 2.0 is as much a women-empowerment programme as a dairy-sector intervention." Discuss. 3. Cooperatives are a State subject yet the Union has assumed a central planning role since 2021. Analyse the implications for cooperative federalism.

9. Related Topics to Study Next

• 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 & Article 43-B — constitutional foundation for cooperatives.
• Operation Flood / Amul model / NDDB — historical White Revolution context.
• Computerisation of PACS Project — ERP-based unification of 63,000+ PACS.
• Tribhuvan Sahkari University, Anand — first cooperative university (2025 Act).
• Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), 2020 — primary convergence source.
• PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) — converged scheme.
• FCI procurement & PDS — downstream linkage to grain storage.
• International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (UN) — global framing.

10. Common Errors / Trap Areas

• The plan is under the Ministry of Cooperation, NOT Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution or Ministry of Agriculture.
• White Revolution 2.0 is by the Ministry of Cooperation, not the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying (original Operation Flood was NDDB-led under Dairying).
• "2 lakh new societies" = PACS + dairy + fisheries combined; not 2 lakh PACS alone.
• Pilot of grain plan had 11 PACS, 9,750 MT — not "1 lakh MT" or "11,000 PACS".
• Ministry of Cooperation created in 2021, not 2014 or 2019.

11. Sources

• [S1] Regional Workshop at Raipur reviews progress... — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2264361 — (tier 1)
• [S2] White Revolution 2.0 — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2110942 — (tier 1)
• [S3] Pilot project for the World's Largest Grain Storage Scheme — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2117766 — (tier 1)
• [S4] Inauguration of 10,000 newly established M-PACS, Dairy & Fisheries Cooperative Societies — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2087880 — (tier 1)
• [S5] Sahkar se Samriddhi / Ministry of Cooperation background — https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2112225 — (tier 1)