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(c) in section 5,—

(i) after clause (cc), the following clauses shall be inserted namely:— (cci) “co-operative bank” means a state co-

operative bank, a central co-operative bank and a primary co-operative bank;

(ccii) “co-operative credit society” means a co- operative society, the primary object of which is to provide financial accommodation to its members and includes a co-operative land mortgage bank; (cciia) “co-operative society” means a society registered or deemed to have been registered under any Central Act for the time being in force relating to the multi-State co-operative societies, or any other Central or State law relating to co-

(cciv) “primary agricultural credit society” means a co-operative society,— (1) the primary object or principal business of which is to provide financial accommodation to its members for agricultural purposes or for purposes connected with agricultural activities (including the marketing of crops); and  (2) the bye-laws of which do not permit admission of any other co-operative society as a member:

Provided that this sub-clause shall not apply to the admission of a co-operative bank as a member by reason of such co-operative bank subscribing to the share capital of such co- operative society out of funds provided by the State Government for the purpose;

39. The above material would clearly indicate that the limited object of section 80P(4) is to exclude co-operative banks that function at par with other commercial banks i.e. which lend money to members of the public. Thus, if the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 is now to be seen, what is clear from section 3 read with section 56 is that a primary co-operative bank cannot be a primary agricultural credit society, as such co-operative bank must be engaged in the business of banking as defined by section 5(b) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, which means the accepting, for the purpose of lending or investment, of deposits of money from the public. Likewise, under section 22(1)(b) of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 as applicable to co-operative societies, no co-operative society shall carry on banking business in India, unless it is a co-operative bank and holds a licence issued in that behalf by the RBI. As opposed to this, a primary agricultural credit society is a co-operative society, the primary object of which is to  provide financial accommodation to its members for agricultural purposes or for purposes connected with agricultural activities.