Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah will perform the Bhoomi Pujan of the NHEC Multi-State Cooperative Society project at Talegaon Dabhade in Pune district on Sunday, November 15, 2026, marking a significant step towards expanding cooperative-led industrial and economic activities. He will also inaugurate the Western Regional Office of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) and launch Bharat Taxi services in Pune.
The programme is being organised as part of the government’s efforts to realise Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ and strengthen, modernise and make the cooperative movement more inclusive. Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Ministers Sunetra Ajit Pawar and Eknath Shinde, besides other dignitaries, will attend the event.
The foundation-laying ceremony of the NHEC Multi-State Cooperative Society project is expected to give fresh impetus to cooperative-led industrial development and create new avenues for economic activities through the cooperative model. An important feature of the programme will be the exchange of a Letter of Intent (LoI) between NHEC and IDMC Limited, signalling an effort towards institutional collaboration and exploring new opportunities within the cooperative sector.
The project assumes significance against the backdrop of the Ministry of Cooperation’s wider efforts to strengthen cooperative institutions financially, improve their operational efficiency and promote cooperative-based enterprises. Under Amit Shah’s leadership, the Ministry has been pursuing initiatives aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability, expanding the economic role of cooperatives and creating fresh opportunities for their members.
Another major development scheduled during the programme is the virtual inauguration of the Western Regional Office of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies. The new office is expected to make administrative and regulatory services more accessible to Multi-State Cooperative Societies in the western region.
The regional office is also expected to facilitate smoother coordination between cooperative institutions and the office of the Central Registrar, while improving the delivery of regulatory services. The initiative is aimed at strengthening ease of operations, transparency and accountability in the functioning of Multi-State Cooperative Societies, which often have members and operations spread across several states.
The launch of Bharat Taxi services in Pune will be another major highlight of the event. The cooperative-based mobility initiative seeks to provide an organised platform for driver-partners, known as Sarathis, while extending the cooperative model into the transport sector. By encouraging drivers to participate as members rather than merely service providers, the initiative aims to promote a sense of ownership and greater economic participation.
During the programme, share certificates will also be presented to four Bharat Taxi Sarathis. The gesture is significant as it reflects the cooperative principle of member ownership and participation, under which those providing services are also expected to have a stake in the enterprise. The Pune launch is expected to widen the reach of cooperative-based transport services and encourage more drivers to join the initiative.
Taken together, the three initiatives, the NHEC project, the CRCS regional office and Bharat Taxi’s Pune launch, reflect the government’s attempt to expand the cooperative movement beyond its traditional areas of operation. While the NHEC initiative seeks to promote industrial and economic activities, the CRCS office focuses on improving institutional support and regulatory accessibility, and Bharat Taxi aims to create new livelihood opportunities through a cooperative enterprise.
Guided by the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’, the Ministry of Cooperation has been working towards making cooperative institutions more financially capable, professionally managed, competitive and people-centric. Sunday’s programme in Pune is expected to underline the government’s emphasis on using the cooperative framework to promote entrepreneurship, generate economic opportunities and strengthen member-driven institutions across the country.
