Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday participated in the Gopal Credit Card Mega Loan Distribution Programme in Kota, emphasizing that the cooperative movement is transforming the economic and social lives of farmers, women, workers, and youth, and has now become a strong pillar of public welfare.
Birla said that cooperatives are not only an economic tool but also an agent of social change. Stressing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision, he highlighted the need for women’s self-reliance, fair prices for farmers’ produce, and a secure future for children. On the occasion, loans worth Rs 1,047.37 lakh were distributed to 1,539 farmers.
Birla underlined the strength of the cooperative model, noting its success in 123 countries. He said that under PM Modi’s leadership, India’s cooperative movement has scaled new heights, aided by the creation of a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation under Home Minister Amit Shah. He added that farmers now receive zero-interest loans through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), bringing hope to villages.
Women’s participation is also rising, with over 20,000 women active in the dairy sector in the Kota-Bundi region, collecting more than one lakh liters of milk daily. Birla said future plans include linking vegetables and other produce to cooperative networks, along with processing plants through partnerships with institutions like Mother Dairy.
Loans were distributed to farmers from various constituencies, and several initiatives, including micro ATMs for PACS and cooperative super marts, were launched.
