Lucknow, May 19 (Reporter) Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday directed officials to launch the 'Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana' to boost the income and ensure the economic empowerment of small and marginal farmers in the state. During a review meeting of the Cooperative Department, the CM directed that increasing the income of small and marginal farmers and ensuring transparency and efficiency should be the top priorities. A detailed framework of this ambitious scheme was presented during a review meeting. He lauded the initiative as visionary and farmer-centric and called for the active involvement of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and cooperative banks in its effective implementation. Yogi said that the state government continuously works to relieve farmers from debt, enhance agricultural productivity, and promote self-reliance. "In this context, providing farmers with easy access to loans at affordable interest rates must be a key priority. The proposed scheme is expected to be a significant step toward achieving these goals," he said. He stressed the importance of timely and efficient execution. He directed the officials to focus on expanding the loan distribution capacity of cooperative banks, modernising bank branches through financial support, and streamlining access to credit for farmers. The CM also undertook a detailed review of the cooperative sector and urged officials to strengthen the role of cooperative institutions. According to the data shared in the meeting, loan disbursement by the UP Cooperative Bank Limited has grown from Rs 9,190 crore in 2017 to Rs 23,061 crore in 2025, with the bank recording a net profit of Rs 100.24 crore. During the same period, the total business of District Cooperative Banks rose from Rs 28,349 crore to Rs 41,234 crore, with a net profit of Rs 162 crore. Over the past eight years, crop loans amounting to Rs 11,516 crore and long-term loans worth Rs 393 crore have been distributed across the state. Besides, 34.45 lakh metric tons of fertilizers were distributed, 25.53 lakh metric tons of paddy were procured, and 1.94 lakh metric tons of pulses and oilseeds were purchased. Highlighting the need for further expansion in storage infrastructure, Yogi directed the formulation of a suitable policy to encourage private sector participation. He directed the officials to bring about comprehensive reforms in the PCF's functioning and ensure timely payments to rice millers. To improve operational efficiency in the cooperative sector, he emphasised expediting the recruitment process for vacant banking and non-banking positions through IBPS, ensuring cooperative institutions deliver services more efficiently and effectively. The meeting also discussed the involvement of M-PACS committees in commercial activities, with the CM being informed that these committees have been integrated with services such as PDS, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, CSCs, PM Kisan Samman Kendras and procurement under MSP. In terms of digital transformation, computerisation efforts are progressing in phases, 1,539 M-PACS committees are digitised in Phase I, 1,523 in Phase II, and 2,624 in Phase III. Regarding cybersecurity, it was reported that the UPm Cooperative Bank Limited and 50 district cooperative banks are being integrated with NABARD’s CBS cloud platform, ensuring secure and streamlined banking operations. Yogi reiterated that making cooperative institutions self-reliant and ensuring farmers’ access to technology, credit, and marketing remains a top priority for the state government. He asserted that policy reforms must continue with the ultimate goal of empowering and enriching UP's farmers through cooperation...////...