As part of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, a two-day National Conference titled “Building a Viksit Bharat: Transforming Rural Economies through Cooperation, Farmer Empowerment and Growth” is being held at the Regional Institute of Cooperative Management (RICM), Chandigarh, on April 24–25.
The event was inaugurated by Union Minister of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar and Haryana Cooperation Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma. It aims to strengthen India’s cooperative movement by promoting innovation, collaboration, and grassroots-led development to accelerate sustainable rural transformation.
A key highlight of the opening session was the launch of the “Meri Samiti Mera Patal” digital portal. Designed to support cooperative societies across Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu & Kashmir, the platform is intended to modernize and digitize cooperative operations.
It will address long-standing challenges such as poor recognition, communication gaps, and the limited adoption of technology in cooperative institutions. By promoting digitization, skill-building, and social engagement, the portal is positioned as a major tool in future cooperative planning and governance.
In his address, MoS Cooperation, Krishan Pal Gurjar stressed the need for cooperative societies to embrace the latest technologies. He noted that over 8.5 lakh cooperatives are active across the country and called for their empowerment through digital platforms.
According to him, government initiatives are focused on making these societies more accessible and effective in serving rural communities, particularly the youth. He underlined the role of cooperatives in generating employment and driving rural prosperity, stating that their modernization is central to India’s overall development strategy.
Arvind Kumar Sharma echoed this sentiment and highlighted the efforts being made in Haryana to strengthen multi-purpose and multi-state cooperative institutions. He encouraged participants to raise awareness about the value of cooperative societies and urged more citizens, especially youth, to engage with them. In his view, national development depends on broader community participation in cooperative models and self-help groups.
The conference also featured the launch of RICM’s AICTE-approved Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Agri Business Management (PGDM-ABM). The program aims to promote higher education in cooperation and agriculture and is expected to eventually be part of the proposed Tribhuvan Cooperative University.
Additionally, the institute released its national research journal Sahkarita Anusandhan, focused on rural development, agriculture, and cooperative studies. RICM also unveiled its Annual Report Samvet and the Training Calendar for 2025–26, outlining key training programs for the coming year.
RICM Director Rajiv Kumar expressed his gratitude to the dignitaries and participants, stating that the conference serves as a platform not just for discussion but for generating actionable strategies to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem. He called the event a golden opportunity to share innovations and experiences that could shape a stronger and more self-reliant India through cooperation.
