The government will focus on digitisation and modernisation of about 98,000 primary agriculture cooperatives (PACs) to ensure digital lending, said Devendra Kumar Singh, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, on Saturday.

He was speaking at the first ''Sehkarita Sammelan'' or National Cooperative Conference here. In the Union Budget 2021, the government had announced setting up of Ministry of Cooperation. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been given the additional charge of the ministry.

Kumar said the government will also take steps to popularise the cooperative movement and quality products manufactured by cooperatives in the international market.

The priority will be on "ease of doing business" in cooperatives, the secretary said and added the cooperative manpower will be trained to bring professionalism.

He applauded the contribution of cooperative bodies like IFFCO, KRIBHCO, Amul in strengthening the cooperative movement and achieving milestones.

The conference at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium is being organised by cooperative bodies like, IFFCO, National Cooperative Federation of India, Amul, Sahakar Bharti, NAFED, and KRIBHCO.