Bhubaneswar, 14 August (H.S.): In a major step towards strengthening Odisha’s cooperative sector through digital transformation, the State Government on Friday launched an IT Skill Enhancement Training Programme for officials of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) and Large Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPCS) through the Odisha State Certificate in Information Technology (OS-CIT).

The programme was formally inaugurated by Cooperation, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradeep Bal Samant at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan. Officials from PACS and LAMPCS across Odisha joined the inaugural programme virtually from their respective OKCL-authorised learning centres.

The training programme is being implemented by the Odisha Knowledge Corporation Limited (OKCL) in collaboration with the Cooperation Department, Government of Odisha.

Under the initiative, 5,422 officials from 2,711 PACS and LAMPCS across the State will undergo IT skill training. Two officials from each cooperative institution have been enrolled in the programme, with the registration process already completed and formal training commencing from Friday.

The training will be conducted through 540 OKCL-authorised learning centres (ALCs) located across Odisha. This decentralised arrangement will enable officials working in different parts of the State to access training facilities closer to their respective locations.

The initiative assumes significance against the backdrop of several digital transformation measures being undertaken by the Cooperation Department. These include the implementation of National Level PACS Software (NLPS)/Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) for the digital transformation of PACS, computerisation of the offices of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies and digitisation of records maintained by cooperative offices.

The OS-CIT training has been designed to equip PACS and LAMPCS officials with basic computer knowledge, digital work processes and practical skills required to use information technology tools effectively in their day-to-day operations.

The government expects the training to improve the speed, efficiency and transparency of cooperative institutions while strengthening their ability to adopt digital systems.

A dedicated module on NLPS-ERP has also been incorporated into the OS-CIT curriculum. Through this module, PACS officials will gain an understanding of the ERP environment and the basic digital processes they will be required to use as the cooperative sector moves further towards technology-driven operations.

With 5,422 officials from 2,711 PACS and LAMPCS covered under a single programme, the initiative represents a significant large-scale digital skill development effort in the cooperative sector.

Hindusthan Samachar / Monalisa Panda