Dehradun, March 03 (HS). Cooperative Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that Uttarakhand Cooperative Seminar is a valuable platform for stakeholders to come together and deliberate on strategies to strengthen the cooperative movement. It underlined the importance of cooperative principles in promoting sustainable and inclusive development and the need for concerted efforts to promote the development of cooperatives.
Uttarakhand Cooperative Seminar based on “Prosperity from Cooperation” was organized in the auditorium of Uttarakhand Cooperative Union under the joint aegis of Indian Institute of Cost Accounting, New Delhi, National Cooperative Training Council, New Delhi and Cooperative Management Institute. It provided an opportunity to learn about best practices and success stories of cooperative enterprises across the country. Another important aspect discussed was the ability of cooperatives to address the challenges of employment and entrepreneurship. On this occasion, Cooperation Minister Dr. Singh Rawat inaugurated the knowledge pack of ICMAR.
Cooperative Minister Dr. Rawat highlighted the role of cooperative societies in empowering rural communities and promoting economic development. He said that the co-operative sector is growing rapidly in India. MPAX was created from PAX in 2017. Computerized MPAX. Millets Mission extended. Manduwa was Rs 20 in 2017, now it is Rs 40. He made it mandatory to audit the committees. He said that Cooperative Uttarakhand has received Rs 3200 crore from the Central Government. To double the income of farmers, loans were given to 1 lakh 30 thousand people at two percent interest.
Nine lakh farmers got interest free loan of five and a half thousand crores-
The Minister said that through cooperative banks and MPAX, interest-free loans worth Rs 5,500 crore have been given to about nine lakh farmers till January 31, 2024. Due to this the income of farmers has doubled. There have been one lakh lakhpati didis in Uttarakhand. The target is to make four lakh lakhpati didis. The seminar brainstormed ways to strengthen cooperative infrastructure for agriculture and allied sectors.
Cooperative societies should get recognition on the lines of corporate institutions.
Navneet Kumar Jain, President, Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI) argued regarding the role of cooperative societies in the progress of the country. He claims that just as corporate entities have significant power, cooperatives should be given the same level of recognition.
30 lakh cooperative members out of 1.25 crore population-
Registrar Cooperative Alok Kumar Pandey said that the presence of cooperative families in Uttarakhand shows the symbiotic relationship between democracy and cooperation. These cooperative units also contribute to the overall welfare and development of the state. Told that there are 30 lakh cooperative members in the state out of 1.25 crore population.
Promotion of equality and women empowerment-
Additional Registrar Ira Upreti said the focus should also be on the role of cooperative societies in promoting equality and women empowerment. This will not only highlight the success stories of women-led cooperatives, but will also uncover opportunities to increase their participation.
Important role of cooperative societies in agriculture and rural development-
Additional Registrar Anand Shukla said that cooperative societies have an important role in agriculture and rural development. Uttarakhand is a rural dominated state, where agriculture is the mainstay of its economy. Cooperatives play an important role in providing farmers access to credit, inputs, technology and markets.
Increase in activities will bring diversity, new employment opportunities-
State Cooperative Bank MD Neeraj Belwal said that developing small resources through loans will boost the local economy. Increasing small resource based activities will bring diversity and create new employment opportunities. Local markets like Namak Apna Loon and Aipan will have to be promoted.
Cost-efficiency is an important aspect of running a successful business-
Joint Registrar MP Tripathi said cost-efficiency is an important aspect of running a successful business. Profitability can be improved by focusing on reducing expenses while maintaining quality.