Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a high-level meeting on Thursday to assess the progress of India’s cooperative sector, underscoring the need for partnerships with global cooperative organizations to further enhance the sector’s growth.
The Prime Minister discussed initiatives under the “Sahkar Se Samruddhi” campaign, which aims to transform the cooperative sector through technological innovations, and expand the involvement of youth and women in cooperatives. The meeting also covered several initiatives led by the Ministry of Cooperation, as outlined by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
PM Modi emphasized promoting organic products through cooperative organizations and stressed the importance of tapping into export markets. He suggested the development of a soil testing model through cooperatives to bolster agricultural practices. Additionally, he highlighted the integration of the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with RuPay Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) to facilitate seamless financial transactions for farmers. The Prime Minister also called for fostering healthy competition among cooperatives and ensuring transparency by documenting their assets.
In the realm of agriculture, PM Modi recommended cooperative farming as a more sustainable model and urged the use of digital public infrastructure, like Agristack, to improve access to services for farmers. He also proposed the introduction of cooperative courses in educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and IIMs, to inspire future generations and encourage young graduates to contribute to the sector.
The meeting also focused on the National Cooperation Policy, with PM Modi being briefed on its development. The policy, which has been formulated after extensive consultations, aims to drive the comprehensive development of the cooperative sector, with an emphasis on rural economic growth and prioritizing the empowerment of women and youth.
As part of the ongoing efforts to strengthen the cooperative movement, the Ministry of Cooperation has launched 60 initiatives across seven key areas. These initiatives include the digitization of cooperative institutions, with projects like the National Cooperative Database and the Computerization Projects, and the strengthening of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). The Ministry has also worked on enhancing the sustainability of cooperative sugar mills.
The Indian government has integrated over 15 schemes from more than 10 ministries at the PACS level, leading to diversified cooperative businesses and increased opportunities for income generation. Annual targets have been set for the formation of new cooperatives to improve accessibility to government schemes in rural areas.
To further promote cooperative education and research, a Bill has been introduced in Parliament to convert IRMA Anand into “Tribhuvan Cooperative University,” which will become an Institution of National Importance.
The cooperative sector currently plays a vital role in India’s economy, especially in agriculture, rural development, and economic inclusion. One-fifth of India’s population is associated with cooperatives, which include over 8.2 lakh institutions spanning more than 30 sectors, with a membership of over 30 crore individuals.
The meeting was attended by Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Principal Secretary to PM Dr. PK Mishra, Principal Secretary-2 to PM Shaktikanta Das, Advisor to PM Amit Khare, and other senior officials.
(Inputs from ANI)
