Sahakar Bharati organized its first committee meeting at the auditorium of UP State Cooperative Development Bank on Tuesday, in which Union Minister of State for Cooperation B L Verma, former Union Minister Shiv Pratap Shukla, and Santosh Gangwar participated.
The committee was formed recently to oversee the preparations of Sahakar Bharati’s seventh National Conference (Adiveshan) to be organized from 17 to 19 December 2021 at Government Polytechnic College, Lucknow. Union Minister Amit Shah and State Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have given nod to attend the function.
On the occasion, discussions related to the preparations for the event were held extensively. The meeting was attended by State Cooperative Minister Mukut Bihari Verma, Sahakar Bharati’s founder member Satish Marathe, National Organizing Secretary Uday Joshi, local leaders of UP Sahakar Bharati, and others.
The committee meeting was presided over by Santosh Gangwar. Held at the UPLDB headquarters near Mall Avenue in Lucknow, the meeting aimed at holding a mega-conference that could lead to the growth of a robust cooperative movement in the state.
It bears recall that Sahakar Bharati holds a national conference every third year and this time it is UP’s turn. Exhorting participants, Satish Marathe said that the karyakartas should start preparing for a successful event. Marathe said that the new Cooperation Ministry headed by Amit Shah has ambitious plans related to the revival of the co-op movement in the country.
Marathe said that previous regimes are to be blamed for the weakening of the institution of PACS. “We had a detailed discussion on the issue of PACS with Shri Amit Shah and about a comprehensive plan to revitalize them”, underlined Marathe.
Uday Joshi added saying the event would showcase products and programs aimed at strengthening the cooperative movement. “The planned Sahakar Mela will have the participation of more than 300 co-ops and SHGs which together will have more than 300 stalls. About 150 stalls will showcase products from the state of UP”, said Joshi.
Several important co-operators such as Dhananjay Singh, NCDC Director, Mudit Verma, NAFCUB Director, MLA Rajiv Kumar Singh, Barabanki DCCB Chairman Dhirendra Kumar Verma, and others were present in the meeting.
Other leaders present included Ramashankar Jaiswal, Dr Praveen Singh Jadaun, Raj Dutt Pandey, Narendra Upadhayay, and many others.
There was a feeling that the mega co-op event being planned in December would have a bearing on the upcoming elections in the state. “It is not only cooperative but also a little bit of politics”, quipped a local leader giving example of Maharashtra where the political ambitions are fulfilled through the route of sugar co-ops.
