Sahakar Bharati held its fifth convention at Haridham, a place in Teg Bhadur Nagar in North Delhi this week end where participants after participants emphasized strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.
Sanjiv Baliyan, the Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Cooperation was the chief guest, but earlier there was a plan to invite at least three union ministers including Radha Mohan Singh and Harshvardhan
An arm of RSS, Sahakar Bharati has suddenly assumed significance in the wake of the installation of a new govt in Delhi. BJP leaders, Indian Cooperative has learnt, do not regard the current leadership of the cooperative movement as friendly. This was stated in not so many words, when this correspondent asked Sahakar Bharati President Satish Marathe about its relation with NCUI, the apex cooperative body of the country.
We have nothing to do with the NCUI and the two bodies operate separately. Though, interestingly,the NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh was also invited but he could not attend for reasons best known to himself.
The Sarsanghachalak of northen area Mr Bajrang Lal Gupta was the main speaker while Jyotindra Mehta, President of Gujarat chapter of Nafcub along with Mr Satish Marathe were special invitees.
The speakers insisted on implementation of the 97th CAA in the states and also demanded restoration of exemption from income tax for cooperatives. Effecting the economic transformation through cooperatives is the main goal and we aim to construct a society where people are self-dependent, said Mr Marathe.
Delhi is the fifth session , earlier we have met in Goa, Kerala, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, he added.
Cooperative as a subject has been ignored in the fifth 5 yr plan and we want this government to look into it. “Modiji comes from Gujarat where more than one crore people are associated with the cooperative movement. We hope this new govt will have a fresh look into the affairs of the cooperative movement” Marathe said.
The Minister Mr Baliyan said poverty could be eliminated only through cooperatives. I am told there are 6 lakh cooperatives and about 25 crore people are associated with this movement. The government is ready to help you at every step of growth, he said amidst applause. Mr Baliyan is a veterinary doctor by profession.