Marking the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 and the Silver Jubilee of Uttarakhand, a grand State Cooperative Conference was organized at the Culture Department Auditorium, Dehradun, under the aegis of the Uttarakhand Pradeshik Cooperative Union on Saturday.
Inaugurating the event, Cooperation Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat announced that a chapter on the cooperative movement will now be introduced in the Class 6 curriculum to build awareness among students.
He also unveiled several new initiatives, including loans up to Rs 3 lakh for women’s groups for Bharat Darshan tours and financial support for self-employment activities.
Dr. Rawat further announced that small vendors and hawkers will be provided short-term loans at just 5% interest through the Uttarakhand State Cooperative Bank. He highlighted the success of the Millets Mission, which has empowered farmers by ensuring the purchase of mandua at Rs 4,800 per quintal.
The Minister also praised cooperative fairs across districts and emphasized promoting local products through cooperatives. The event honored senior cooperative leaders for their contributions, reaffirming the state government’s goal of ensuring that every village, farmer, and women’s group becomes part of the cooperative movement to achieve prosperity through cooperation.
