Addressing a session organized on the occasion of the National Conference in New Delhi on the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Cooperation in the first 100 days, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) Managing Director Jayen Mehta informed that dairy cooperatives have been linked with cooperative banks.
“The accounts of 99 percent of milk cooperative societies in Gujarat have been opened in cooperative banks. This initiative aims to enhance the financial accessibility of dairy cooperatives and ensure smooth banking services at the grassroots level,” he said.
On the sidelines of the event, Mehta assured an Indian Cooperative correspondent that he would provide the data to substantiate his claims.
The session was coordinated by Pankaj Bansal, Managing Director, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).
During the discussions, Gujarat’s Cooperation Department Secretary, Sandeep Kumar, highlighted that after a successful pilot project in Banaskantha and Panchmahal districts for opening accounts in cooperative banks, the initiative has now been implemented across the state. The goal is to ensure timely and easy access to financial services at the village level.
NABARD’s Chief General Manager (Gujarat), Bhupesh Singhal, dwelt on the efforts being made to raise awareness among cooperative societies about the availability of loans and home-based banking services.
The session emphasized the collective efforts of cooperatives, federations, and the ministry to empower the cooperative sector and farmers by increasing awareness of banking facilities at the ground level.