The Government of India is in the process of setting up a national cooperative university, with the bill already tabled in the Lok Sabha during the current budget session. It is expected to be taken up for approval in the next session.
Union Minister of State for Cooperation, Muralidhar Mohol, shared this information in Pune , adding that the Government is committed to achieving prosperity through cooperation.
A three-day international conference organized by the Union Ministry of Cooperation at the Vaikunth Mehta National Cooperative Society (VAMNICOM) in Pune concluded on Sunday.
The conference, themed ‘Generating Prosperity through Cooperatives: Digital Innovation and Value Chain,’ saw Muralidhar Mohol attending as the chief guest.
During his address, Mohol emphasized the significant role of the cooperative sector in fostering sustainable development in rural areas and the government’s dedicated efforts to strengthen cooperative banks. He also mentioned that this conference marked the first official event by the Government for the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025).
The United Nations General Assembly has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, with the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” Mohol praised the Center for International Cooperation and Training in Agricultural Banking (CICTAB) and VAMNICOM for their successful organization of the event.
He also highlighted the strengthening of cooperative relations with participating countries from Asia and Africa. The conference hosted 36 delegates from 12 countries, including Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Gambia, Kenya, Liberia, Mauritius, Namibia, Sri Lanka, and Zambia.
Over the three days, experts led discussions on digital innovation in cooperatives, successful cooperative models, challenges and opportunities in the value chain, sustainability, and global cooperation.
Notable attendees included Dr. Umakant Dash, Director of the Rural Management Institute in Anand; Prof. Partha Ray, Director of the National Institute of Bank Management, Pune; Anosak Phangthimavong, Deputy Director General, Ministry of Rural Development, Lao PDR; and Abba Jibril Sankareh, Gambia Cooperative Registrar General. Dr. Hema Yadav, Director of VAMNICOM and CICTAB, presented a summary of the conference’s three days.
