President of India Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday addressed a joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, underlining the vital role of the cooperative movement and agriculture in India’s development.
She said that in milk production, India is the most successful country in the world, a feat achieved thanks to the strength of the cooperative movement. The government is actively strengthening cooperatives in sectors such as agriculture and livestock.
Highlighting capacity building, President Murmu pointed to the Tribhuvan Sahkari University (TSU), which is providing individuals associated with cooperatives the opportunity to learn and advance. She added that the agriculture sector is being further empowered through over 10,000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs).
Emphasizing the importance of farmers, she recalled Sant Thiruvalluvar’s words that, irrespective of their vocations, every individual’s life depends on the hard work of farmers. “For the government, a prosperous farmer is the first priority for a Viksit Bharat,” she said.
Under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, over Rs 4 lakh crore has been directly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts so far, she noted.
President Murmu highlighted that government policies have led to record production of food grains and horticulture crops in 2024–25, while efforts continue to increase output of crops where India had lagged. She said the government aims to reduce imports through the National Missions on Edible Oils, Oilseeds, and Pulses, moving the country toward self-reliance. As a result, oilseed production rose in 2024–25.
The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund has modernized the sector and improved logistics, attracting private investment of over Rs 1.25 lakh crore and creating lakhs of employment opportunities for youth.
Due to these measures, food processing capacity has increased twenty-fold, enabling farmers to secure better prices for their crops. In remote regions, the “Namo Drone Didi” initiative has emerged as a symbol of women’s empowerment, with trained Drone Didis transforming agriculture using modern technology.
It bears recall that Tribhuvan Sahkari University was conceived as India’s first national university dedicated exclusively to the cooperative sector, with the objective of addressing a long felt institutional and knowledge gap.
Envisioned through legislation to upgrade the Institute of Rural Management Anand into a university of national importance, TSU is designed to serve as a centre for education, training, research and capacity building in cooperative management and rural development.
The university is named after Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, a pioneering figure of the cooperative movement, symbolising its strong ideological roots. By offering specialised academic programmes, professional courses and research support, TSU aims to create a pool of skilled human resources for cooperatives across sectors.
It is expected to strengthen governance, professionalism and innovation in cooperatives and play a catalytic role in advancing inclusive and sustainable rural economic growth across the country.
