Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, inaugurating the 72nd All India Cooperative Week on November 14, credited Jawaharlal Nehru’s vision for shaping rural India’s cooperative progress, media reports say.
Presenting the Sahakara Ratna awards, he said cooperatives have become the economic lifeline for millions. Highlighting Karnataka’s leadership, he noted that Asia’s first cooperative bank was born in the State, earning it the title “cooperative capital of India.”
He praised Karnataka’s thriving milk cooperatives, which generate Rs 25,000 crore annually and produce one crore litres of milk daily, ensuring farmers better income without middlemen. Reaffirming support, he said the government now provides a Rs 5-per-litre milk incentive, benefiting nearly 40 lakh farmers.