Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, addressed officer trainees at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA), Mussoorie, highlighting the growing role of the cooperative sector in grassroots development and governance.
The session, held on March 5, 2026, was attended by IAS and RBCS officer trainees of the 2025 batch as part of the Phase-I IAS Professional Course. Siddharth Jain, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, was also present on the occasion.
During his address, Bhutani spoke on the theme “Leveraging the Cooperative Sector in the Field,” emphasizing how cooperative institutions can contribute to inclusive economic growth, rural empowerment, and improved service delivery at the grassroots level.
He highlighted several initiatives being promoted by the Ministry of Cooperation to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem in the country. Among them was the Bharat Taxi initiative, which seeks to provide new livelihood opportunities through cooperative-based transport services. Bhutani also referred to the role of dairy cooperatives in supporting farmers and strengthening rural economies.
The session provided trainees with an overview of policy reforms and institutional measures being undertaken to modernize and expand the cooperative sector. These initiatives are aligned with the government’s broader vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi” prosperity through cooperation.
Officials said interactions with young civil service trainees are aimed at familiarizing future administrators with the cooperative framework so that they can effectively leverage it in governance and development programmes across states and districts.
