Uttar Pradesh marked the 4th Foundation Day of the Union Ministry of Cooperation with a grand event at Indira Gandhi Pratishthan, Gomtinagar, Lucknow.
The ceremony was presided over by State Cooperation Minister J.P.S. Rathore and witnessed the presence of State Forest and Environment Minister Dr. Arun Saxena as the Guest of Honour.
As part of the celebrations, 51 Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendras were inaugurated at MPACS across 38 districts. These centers will provide affordable and high-quality generic medicines, up to 80–90% cheaper than market prices, thereby improving healthcare access in rural areas while boosting the income of MPACS.
A major highlight of the event was the distribution of DGCA-approved ‘Drone Didi’ certificates to 266 rural women trained by ICCMRT. This initiative aims to empower women from self-help groups with drone operation skills for agricultural and allied sector applications. The concept of “Drone Didi” is becoming a symbol of rural women’s technological empowerment.
The event also recognized five MPACS that have achieved success through business diversification under the “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” scheme. Minister Rathore praised the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, under whose guidance the Ministry of Cooperation was formed in 2021 to bring structural transformation to rural India.
Environment Minister Dr. Arun Saxena called upon cooperators to treat the upcoming “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign on July 9 as a celebration. He appreciated the department’s previous achievements in 100% tree plantation and urged further expansion through the development of 91 cooperative gardens across the state.
Several significant announcements were made during the event. These included interest-free loans of Rs 15 lakh each to 6,700 MPACS for fertilizer distribution, strengthening of 980 MPACS buildings with a Rs 70 crore investment, and installation of solar panels at 258 MPACS under the solar rooftop electrification scheme.
Additionally, Uttar Pradesh Cooperative Bank was recognized by UIDAI to issue Aadhaar cards, making it the first state cooperative bank in India to receive such accreditation. Plans were also shared for establishing a new District Cooperative Bank in Balrampur under the “One District, One DCB” vision.
The trainers’ honorarium for ICCMRT was raised from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per month, enhancing the scope and quality of training programs like Drone Didi.
The event featured a short film on the achievements of the cooperative movement and was addressed by Principal Secretary Sourabh Babu, Registrar of Cooperative Societies Yogesh Kumar and others. They outlined future goals and applauded the efforts of the department in implementing innovative schemes for cooperative development.
A host of dignitaries including senior state officials, cooperative leaders, chairpersons of cooperative banks, and directors from apex cooperative institutions were present at the occasion.
