Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma inaugurated the 13th National Convention of Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) at Birla Auditorium, Jaipur, on Wednesday. The two-day event is being jointly organized by Sahakar Bharati and the Rajasthan Cooperation Department.
Day One was conducted under the leadership of Sahakar Bharati President Uday Joshi and State Cooperation Minister Gautam Dak, and was attended by RBI Central Board Director Satish Marathe, NUCFDC President Jyotindra Mehta, Sahakar Bharati National General Secretary Deepak Chaurasia, Sanjay Pachpor, RSS Regional Pracharak Nimbarm, and representatives from UCBs across 17 states.
In his address, CM Sharma hailed the “remarkable role” of UCBs in India’s growth story, noting that these institutions are closest to local communities and provide accessible loans to small entrepreneurs, shopkeepers, artisans, and the middle class. He informed that Rajasthan today has 236 UCB branches serving more than 4.5 lakh members.
“Cooperation is the gateway to self-reliance and empowerment. Our government is committed to connecting common people with the cooperative movement to transform their standard of living,” Sharma said.
He also announced plans to establish Gramya Sahakari Samitis (Rural Cooperative Societies) in every panchayat, enabling farmers to access seeds and fertilizers more easily.
Highlighting reforms, the CM said the state has disbursed Rs 42,394 crore in interest-free short-term crop loans through cooperative banks, along with Rs 404 crore in crop loans. Other initiatives include decentralized food grain storage at PACS, establishment of warehouses, processing units, custom hiring centers, and the Rajasthan Gopal Credit Card scheme for cattle rearers.
Sharma also criticized the previous government for neglecting cooperatives, which had led to high NPAs and lack of timely support to farmers.
Sahakar Bharati President Uday Joshi, while outlining the convention’s agenda, stressed governance reforms, digitization, cybersecurity, and HR policies for UCBs.
He urged the Reserve Bank of India to prepare a clear roadmap for UCBs’ growth and future goals. “No new UCB has been established since 2002. On-tap licenses must be granted, and large credit societies should be allowed to convert into cooperative banks,” he said, adding that the task forces constituted by NAFCUB have already submitted their report to the concerned authorities.
Minister of State for Cooperation Gautam Dak said Rajasthan is emerging as a frontrunner in cooperative innovations under CM Sharma’s leadership.
RBI Central Board Director Satish Marathe emphasized that cooperative banks are vital vehicles of financial inclusion, particularly for small traders, the middle class, and entrepreneurs.
On the occasion, the Chief Minister released a Sahakar Bharati guidebook and launched its new membership app by enrolling himself as a member. The day concluded with a vote of thanks by Sahakar Bharati National General Secretary Deepak Chaurasia.
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