Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah said that the sectors of cooperation, agriculture and fisheries can become powerful drivers for eradicating poverty and creating employment. He made these remarks while chairing the 32nd meeting of the Northern Zonal Council (NZC) in Faridabad, Haryana, on Monday.
The meeting was attended by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, the Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh Gulab Chand Kataria, the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha, the Lieutenant Governor of Delhi Vinai Kumar Saxena, and the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh Kavinder Gupta, along with senior ministers from these states and union territories.
Union Home Secretary, the Secretary of the Inter-State Council Secretariat, Chief Secretaries and Advisors of the member states, and senior officers from state governments as well as various central ministries and departments were also present during the meeting.
Shah reiterated that poverty is being reduced and employment opportunities are rising through cooperation-led initiatives. Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s mantra of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” (Prosperity through Cooperation), he said the cooperative sector holds immense potential, especially in boosting self-employment.
GDP growth alone, he pointed out, cannot measure prosperity unless every citizen rises above the poverty line. He highlighted that the Ministry of Cooperation has implemented 57 reforms nationwide to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem, including computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), formation of three new national-level cooperative bodies, and the establishment of Tribhuvan Sahkari University.
The meeting began with tributes to those killed in the recent Delhi car bomb blast and the Nowgam Police Station explosion, followed by a two-minute silence. Shah assured that under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, the national resolve to eliminate terrorism remains firm and that the perpetrators of the Delhi blast would be brought to justice.
He emphasised that Prime Minister Modi believes strong states build a strong nation, and that Zonal Councils have now evolved into crucial platforms for cooperation, policy alignment and dispute resolution. Shah called for faster justice in crimes against women and children, expansion of Fast Track Special Courts, stringent implementation of the POCSO Act, and enhanced investigative systems. He also stressed the need to eliminate malnutrition and stunting.
As Minister of Cooperation, he reiterated the transformative potential of cooperation, agriculture and fisheries in boosting livelihoods. He noted that Zonal Council meetings have more than doubled since 2014 and have resolved over 1,300 issues.
Shah urged states to promote patriotism through Vande Mataram, appreciated early gains from the new criminal laws, encouraged technology adoption in justice delivery, advocated for wider millet promotion, and highlighted the need for better coordination among states on water, environment, financial inclusion and welfare schemes.
