Mod 4: Agriculture, cooperatives and rural credit

Credit still in force from just before this window: On 9 January 2026 the agriculture department signed an MoU with NABARD for an extra 1 per cent interest subvention on Kisan Credit Card crop loans, over the Centre’s 3 per cent, for 2025–26. It applies to crop-production loans up to ₹3 lakh from commercial banks, regional rural banks and cooperative banks, and only if the farmer repays on time. The state set aside ₹5 crore. The minister present was described then as Agriculture Minister Ram Kripal Yadav. On 18 March 2026 the Press Information Bureau gave the standing PACS count: 8,463 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, of which 4,477 had been computerised; 7,617 were in two or more services and 6,234 in three or more; 5,375 worked as Common Service Centres, 2,304 distributed fertiliser, 1,696 were PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras, 27 were Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and 450 were Bank Mitra of the State Cooperative Bank or district central cooperative banks.

3 August 2026: Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary reviewed a presentation of the Bihar State Cooperative Bank. The discussion was on cheaper farm credit, digital banking and a stronger role for PACS. Present were Cooperation Minister Ramkripal Yadav, Cooperation Secretary Dharmendra Singh and Registrar of Cooperative Societies Rajnish Kumar Singh. The January report and the August report use different portfolios for the same minister’s name. Keep the portfolio that the dated report uses.

29 July, vegetables: The cabinet approved the Bihar State Vegetable Processing and Marketing Scheme at ₹106.39 crore, to strengthen Vegfed’s three-tier cooperatives, block-level infrastructure, working capital and reefer vehicles.

Early September, animal husbandry: The 27-decision cabinet approved the Bihar State Goat Rearers Cooperative Federation Limited under Saat Nischay-3, at an estimated ₹14,79,85,000 over 2026–27, 2027–28 and 2028–29. Heifer-rearing centres under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission were approved at ₹73,47,79,000 for 2026–27, of which the Government of India grant is ₹4,55,00,000 and the balance ₹68,92,79,000 comes from Saat Nischay-3. The Animal Birth Control Rules, 2023 were adopted. The Bihar State Fish Development Corporation Limited, Patna, was approved for dissolution, and 64 driver posts in the fisheries directorate were identified for reorganisation.

Farm income in the budget: The state scheme Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi is to pay farmers ₹3,000 a year, in addition to ₹6,000 under PM-Kisan. The budget allocates ₹1,890 crore to Viksit Bharat–G Ram G and ₹3,192 crore to MGNREGS. A 2026 cabinet reported by Hindustan, among 25 agendas, approved Viksit Bharat–G Ram G and raised land-measurement fees: urban, per khasra, from ₹2,000 to ₹8,000, and rural from ₹1,000 to ₹4,000. That report does not fix the month, so the month is not stated here.

26 September, a district bank: The 66th annual general meeting of the Begusarai Central Cooperative Bank, chaired by Narendra Singh, announced up to ₹5 lakh of KCC per PACS and up to ₹6 lakh of cash credit for fertiliser business. Forty-three societies were honoured for KCC and joint-liability-group lending in 2025–26. The Mukhyamantri Adarsh PACS Yojana was discussed. This is a district bank’s announcement, not a state cabinet decision.

30 September, farm power: Solar plants totalling 2,585 MW were approved to solarise 2,554 agricultural feeders, with a grant of ₹2,761.55 crore.

18 October: Agriculture Minister Vijay Kumar Sinha announced ₹61,60,741 for 2026–27, under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana, for a mushroom spawn production and demonstration unit at the ICAR Research Complex for the Eastern Region, Patna.

Exam View: Key Takeaways

• PACS baseline, 18 March 2026: 8,463 societies; 4,477 computerised.
• KCC subvention: state adds 1 per cent to the Centre’s 3 per cent, on crop loans up to ₹3 lakh.
• Vegfed: ₹106.39 crore. Goat federation: ₹14.80 crore approximately, over three years.
• Gokul heifer centres: ₹73.48 crore approximately, of which ₹4.55 crore is the central grant.
• Farm feeders: 2,585 MW for 2,554 feeders; grant ₹2,761.55 crore.

One-liners

• How many PACS does Bihar have in the 18 March 2026 PIB count? — 8,463, of which 4,477 were computerised
• What is the state’s extra KCC interest subvention? — 1 per cent, above the Centre’s 3 per cent, up to ₹3 lakh
• What did the Begusarai Central Cooperative Bank announce per PACS? — KCC up to ₹5 lakh, and cash credit up to ₹6 lakh for fertiliser
• Where is the mushroom spawn unit, and at what cost? — ICAR Research Complex, Patna; ₹61,60,741
• What does Karpoori Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi add to PM-Kisan? — ₹3,000 a year, over the central ₹6,000

The January MoU is from PTI. The PACS count is from PIB, 18 March 2026. The August review is from Indian Cooperative. Cabinet figures are from The Hindu and Navbharat Times. The Begusarai meeting is from Prabhat Khabar, 26 September 2026. The mushroom sanction is from UNI Varta.