Synopsis
PM Modi is advocating for greater involvement of youth and women in the cooperative sector, promoting international partnerships and technological advancements to enhance agricultural practices and financial transactions.Key Takeaways
- Emphasis on youth and women's roles in cooperatives.
- International partnerships to expand cooperatives.
- Promotion of organic products and technological advancements.
- Need for financial transaction integration.
- Development of education and performance ranking in cooperatives.
New Delhi, March 6 (NationPress) Prime Minister Narendra Modi convened a meeting on Thursday to discuss boosting the involvement of youth and women in cooperatives, highlighting the necessity for collaborations with international cooperative entities to grow the Indian cooperative sector.
Chairing a significant session, PM Modi also explored ways to advance the initiative "Sahkar Se Samruddhi", promoting change through technological innovations, and stressed the importance of advocating for organic products via cooperative organizations, as stated by the PMO.
He recommended targeting export markets and creating a soil testing model through cooperatives to enhance agricultural practices.
The Prime Minister underscored the significance of linking UPI with RuPay KCC cards to streamline financial transactions and stressed the need for healthy competition among cooperative entities.
Furthermore, he highlighted the necessity of documenting the assets of cooperative organizations to ensure transparency. He advocated for promoting cooperative farming as a more sustainable agricultural model and suggested leveraging digital public infrastructure (Agristack) to broaden agricultural and related activities in the Cooperative Sector, thereby providing farmers improved access to services, according to the statement.
In the realm of education, the Prime Minister proposed the introduction of cooperative courses in schools, colleges, and IIMs, as well as showcasing successful cooperative organizations to motivate future generations. He further expressed that young graduates should be encouraged to contribute, with cooperative organizations being evaluated based on their performance to foster both competition and growth.
During the assembly, the Prime Minister was briefed about the National Cooperation Policy and notable accomplishments of the Ministry of Cooperation over the last three and a half years. In pursuit of the vision of 'Sahkar Se Samruddhi', the Ministry has drafted the National Cooperation Policy 2025 through a comprehensive consultation process.
The aim of the National Cooperation Policy 2025 is to facilitate the systematic and holistic development of the cooperative sector, focusing on accelerating rural economic development while prioritizing women and youth. It seeks to deepen the grassroots impact of cooperatives and significantly enhance their contribution to the country's overall development.
Since its inception, the Ministry has launched 60 initiatives across seven critical areas to promote and bolster the cooperative movement. These initiatives encompass the digitization of cooperative institutions through the National Cooperative Database and Computerisation Projects, in addition to strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). Moreover, the Ministry has aimed to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of cooperative sugar mills.
The Government of India has rolled out various schemes for cooperative societies via a whole of government approach, integrating over 15 schemes from more than 10 ministries at the PACS level.
During the meeting, it was noted that currently, one-fifth of the country's population is connected with the cooperative sector, which includes over 8.2 lakh cooperative institutions across more than 30 sectors, boasting a membership exceeding 30 crore individuals.
The meeting was attended by Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah; Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, Ashish Kumar Bhutani; Principal Secretary to PM, P.K. Mishra; and Principal Secretary-2 to PM, Shaktikanta Das.
