On the eve of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Lal Nehru’s birth day, 57th cooperative week was kicked off today in N Delhi with the top cooperative leaders gracing the occasion. Yoganand Shastri, Speaker in Delhi Vidhan Sabha was the chief guest and he inaugurated the function with fanfare and gusto.
Speaking on the occasion Mr. Shastri, a scholar of Sanskrit traced the roots of cooperative idea to Vedas. The verses of Vedas are replete with cooperative sentiments and the cooperative practice has been in vogue from time immemorial.
It has already contributed to the growth of country and there is still its unexploited potential which can be put to use for national growth, concluded the Speaker.
Chandra Pal Singh, President of NCUI said on the occasion that in order to raise growth rate of national economy we need to focus on cooperative movement and infuse more competition and professionalism in the cooperatives. Cooperative movement is also one of the means by which people below poverty line can be infused with awareness and can be goaded to the path of prosperity,asserted the President.
All the basic need-food, education, health, potable water can be met with the strengthening of the cooperative movement, Mr. Singh said.
The function was attended by many cooperators coming from various parts of the country. Regional Director of ICA Asia-Pacific Mr. Chan Ho Choy said that cooperatives offer chance of ushering peace on global level.
Despite the success of the function, absence of any central minister on the occasion was loud and clear. The occasion indeed deserved Prime Minister’s presence but even Union Agriculture Minister Mr. Sharad Pawar did not bother to attend the function. It reflects the fact that high sound on cooperatives has more shadow than substance.