The fertilizer cooperative giant-IFFCO will confer the prestigious ‘Sahakarita Bandhu Award’ on former Chairman Kanjibhai Bhalala of Varachha Cooperative Bank, Surat, during IFFCO’s 53rd Annual General Meeting on May 30, 2024.
This is in recognition of his distinguished services to grass-roots cooperatives and his exemplary commitment for strengthening the Cooperative Movement in the country and of Gujarat in particular.
The announcement was made by IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi through his ‘X’ handle.
Bhalala is a social worker and leader of Patidar community in Diamond City i.e. Surat. He has been actively working with Surat Civil Defence since 2001.
He was appointed as the chief warden in 2020 after he worked in various junior positions. Bhalala is associated with various welfare organisations and working for multiple social causes.
During the 2006 flood disaster, he worked with various social service organisations for relief and rescue.
The ‘Sahakarita Bandhu Award’ comes with a citation and a cash prize of Rs 11 lakh.
It bears recalling that, every year IFFCO confers two awards on persons who contributed in deepening the roots of the cooperative movement. This year, the ‘Sahakarita Bandhu Award’ will be presented to Kanjibhai Bhalala while the ‘Sahakarita Ratna Award’ will be conferred on UP Cooperation Minister JPS Rathore.
The Indian Cooperative was the first media house to break the news of Rathore having been selected for the IFFCO’s Sahakarita Ratna Award’. A deluge of congratulatory messages followed on the social media, soon after the news.
The ‘Sahakarita Ratna Award’ is being bestowed upon Rathore for his exceptional efforts in promoting the cooperative movement at the grassroots level, the source added. Rathore’s initiatives have been pivotal in revitalizing district cooperative banks across Uttar Pradesh and effectively linking farmers with Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
JPS Rathore, a prominent member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, serves as a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council. He holds the position of Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Cooperation in the Second Yogi Adityanath ministry.
Rathore has been instrumental in advancing cooperative policies and ensuring the effective implementation of various schemes aimed at benefiting farmers and the rural economy.