Inaugurating the 70th All India Cooperative Week organized by National Cooperative Union of India, Parshottam Rupala, Union Minister for Animal Husbandry, Dairy and Fisheries said that cooperatives should play an important role in creating awareness about ‘Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra’.
Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra is a govt initiative which involves govt agencies visiting each and every village and finding out if any family has been left out in availing different welfare schemes of the govt. Be it Ujjwala or Awas Yojana; Ayushman Bharat or Har ghar nal, the visiting team is equipped with the means to provide relief then and there.
“The cooperatives have a huge network and reach in the country. The cooperative workers should disseminate information about the benefits of this yatra all over the country, and work as ‘Coop Senas’ with collective responsibility” he further said.
The theme of this year’s Cooperative Week Celebrations is “Role of Cooperatives in Making India a $5 Trillion Economy & SDGs”. The function was attended by more than 400 representatives from the cooperative organizations all over the country.
Rupala advocated for the adoption of international best cooperative practices, citing successful models from countries like America, Germany, and Japan. He mentioned USA’s electrification through cooperatives, Germany’s robust cooperative banking, housing, and energy models, and Japan’s effective agricultural cooperative system as inspirations for India’s cooperative sector.
Rupala also noted the lack of comprehensive employment data despite cooperatives being significant job providers and urged NCUI to compile such information across all cooperative sectors. He conceded that co-ops like IFFCO and Amul have generated huge employment.
Dileepbhai Sanghani, President of NCUI, laid emphasis on strengthening women and youth empowerment through the cooperative model. He highlighted the initiatives like the NCUI Haat, while focusing on equipping women with skills for self-reliance, aligning with the vision of an AtmaNirbhar Bharat.
Dr. U.S. Awasthi, Managing Director of IFFCO, said that the cooperative model ensures that the benefits of
development reach the lowest sections of society. He further emphasized the immense potential within cooperatives and spotlighted the Ministry of Cooperation transformative initiatives. He specifically mentioned three new Multi-State Cooperative societies, foreseeing their potential to revolutionize Indian agriculture.
Dr. Bijendra Singh highlighted the pivotal role of cooperatives in nurturing community progress and welfare.
Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, Chief Executive of NCUI, highlighted pioneering initiatives under two newly established divisions, the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperation (CEDC) and the National Cooperative Resource Centre (NCRC), aimed at reshaping the cooperative sector’s future. Under the CEDC, activities such as the NCUI Haat, Incubation Centre, and Skill Development programs at the Noida Centre have been launched.
Several essential publications by NCUI and sectoral organizations, including training modules on business promotion & diversification of PACS, housing cooperatives, and decoding cooperative law, were also released on this occasion.
Smt. Savitri Singh, Deputy Chief Executive of NCUI, delivered a vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all participants, dignitaries, and organizations for their contributions and support towards making the inaugural ceremony a grand success.
