ROLE OF COOPERATIVE BANKS IN AGRICULTURAL FINANCE: THE CASE STUDY OF PUNJAB

The cooperative banking sector is one of the main partners of Indian banking structure, the cooperative banks have more reach to the rural India, through their huge network of credit societies in the institutional credit structure. The cooperative sector has played a key role in the economy of the country and always recognized as an integral part of our national economy. Cooperatives have ideological base, economic objects with social outlook and approach. The cooperative covers almost all cent percent villages in India. The cooperative form of organization is the Ideal Organization for economically weaker sections in the country. According to recent study by World Bank and National Council for Applied Economic Research, the Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) amount for about 30 percent of micro credit in India. This paper attempts to analyze the role of co-operative bank in agricultural credit.