The Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated modern food processing facilities, including Amul’s ultra-modern Chocolate Plant, near Anand on Sunday. He also visited the chocolate plant and was briefed on the various technologies used, and products being made there. Modi also rated co-op model better than capitalist model.
Keeping co-operatives a notch above both the govt efforts and that of industries, Prime Minister Modi said “In various parts of the world, at various times we saw what socialism is, we also saw capitalism. But, through Amul Sardar Patel showed another way. Here is a way where neither Government nor industrialists call the shots. It is the people who matter. This is a unique model”, he underlined.
Speaking on the occasion, he said the development projects being inaugurated today augur well for the cooperative sector. He said Amul is not only about milk processing, but an excellent model of empowerment.
He said it is a unique model, where the people matter. He said endeavors in the cooperative sector in Gujarat have
helped the people, especially the farmers.
“Today, development projects worth Rs. 1100 crore are either being inaugurated or their foundation stones are being laid. This will have an extremely positive impact”, said Modi. Today, Amul has become an inspiration world over. People from overseas also ask me about Amul, he said.
Guided by Sardar Patel, Pritamrai Desai Ji worked on cooperative housing in a big way in Ahmedabad. These efforts gave wings to the aspirations of several people, he added.
“For a long time, we had people sitting in Gandhinagar who disliked the cooperatives. They prevented the sector 
from acquiring a foothold in Saurashtra. Things changed after the late 1990s and today almost all districts in Gujarat are doing well in the sector”, said the Prime Minister.
A long time back, I had gone to Kutch and spoken about the need to popularise camel milk. That time a group of people mocked me. But, today the camel milk chocolate of Amul is doing well, he added.
“I told several dairies in Gujarat to also work on the sweet revolution, which is related to honeybees. I am aware that Banas Dairy and the dairy in Amreli have done commendable work in this direction. I urge more dairies to also devote attention to this”, he said.
Amul’s Vice Chairman Rajendrasinh Parmar, however accused BJP pf politicizing a cooperative event and even refused to participate. Media reports also say that the students of Sardar Patel University (SPU) were forced to attend the show despite them having their exam next day.
Co-operative achieves what govt or industries can’t: PM