Taking the idea of cooperative to new horizons, Sahakar Bharati has given a call for its diversification encompassing all human activities.
“Cooperatives should diversify their business in several other fields including Health, electricity etc. I myself established a Health Cooperative in Assam which is guided by cooperative principle but such co-ops should be established in other states as well”, said Vice-Chancellor of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences Prof. Umesh Chandra Sharma while addressing Sahakar Bharati State Conference in Guwahati, Assam last week. He was the chief guest.
The theme of conference was “Role of Cooperatives in Socio-Economic Development”.
Speaking on the occasion Sahakar Bharati Patron Satish Marthe urged the delegates to set-up Water, Electricity, Pipe-Gas cooperative and get involved in activities the cooperative movement has yet to cover”
Marathe mooted the idea of starting Co-operative Public Partnership in the country. Marathe says the Public Private Partnership model (PPP) has not worked in the service sector on the expected lines and now it is time the government gave cooperative a chance.
We have seen in cases of water or electricity or transport, the PPP model has come to naught with dissatisfaction
brewing among consumers. Let us create new blueprints such as “Co-operative Public Partnership”, he said advocating cooperative before the policy makers.
President of Sahakar Bharati Jyotindrabhai Mehta could not attend the conference due to his preoccupations with the Gujarat elections.
Nearly a thousand people drawn from more than 20 districts of the state took part in the conference.
Sahakar Bharati National General Secretary Uday Joshi said “The cooperative sector is the only sector which can play an important role in socio-economic development. The sector must stay away from politics;” he said.
This was the 6th state level conference Sahakar Bharti has held so far and the next conference will be held in Bhubaneswar, Orissa soon.
During the day, several sessions on different topics were held. Experts conducted these sessions.
