PRAYAGRAJ, Aug. 30 -- As many as 35 new Sadhan Sahkari Samitis will be established in Prayagraj district, expanding the network of primary agricultural cooperative societies from 201 to 236 and bringing fertilisers, farm credit and other agricultural services closer to farmers in more than 200 villages. Of the existing 201 societies, 185 are currently active, said Sadhna Singh, assistant registrar, cooperatives, Prayagraj. The new societies will be established in the trans-Ganga and trans-Yamuna areas, with around five to six villages expected to be linked to each society. More than 200 villages are likely to benefit from the expansion, Singh said. "The government has released Rs.2 lakh for each of the 35 new societies. Of this, Rs.1 lakh will be kept as a fixed deposit in the name of the society, while the remaining Rs.1 lakh has been sanctioned for furniture," Singh said. Furniture has already been purchased, while buildings have been identified for most of the new societies, she added. The expansion is expected to help farmers, particularly during peak sowing seasons, by reducing the distance they travel to procure fertilisers. The societies will also provide agricultural credit and other rural services. The cooperatives are being developed as multipurpose rural service centres, offering mini-banking, Common Service Centre (CSC) and ration distribution services at the village level. They are also involved in procuring wheat and paddy at the government-declared minimum support price (MSP), giving farmers a local channel to sell their produce.Cooperative societies can also facilitate access to farm machinery through custom hiring centres and shared-use arrangements. Local warehousing facilities can help farmers store produce and avoid distress sales, officials said....