Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to participate in a Co-op Week function cum International Conference & Exhibition on “Sugarcane Value Chain – Vision 2025 Sugar” being organized by Vasantdada Sugar Institute in Pune on Sunday.
Fadnavis has reportedly argued that the Prime Minister should inaugurate the function as half of the population of the state is dependent on cooperatives and as such PM’s presence would go a long way in encouraging people to join the cooperative movement.
According to a survey done by NCUI Maharashtra tops in having the highest number of viable cooperatives leaving behind Gujarat and other states way behind. It has 2.46 lakhs cooperatives, adds a NCUI source.
Indian Cooperative has learnt CM’s letter was forwarded by PMO to the concerned Ministry to find out if any Prime Minister ever participated in such a function in the past.
Meanwhile, Vasantdada Sugar Institute (VSI) has announced on its website that “Shri Narendra Modi, Honourable Prime Minister of India has consented to inaugurate the Conference.”
VSI is an autonomous body established in 1975 at Pune by cane growers of co-operative sugar mills in Maharashtra with the support of State and Central Governments. It aims to bring about an overall improvement in the socio-economic status of sugarcane growers by providing cutting edge technologies, claims its website.
VSI is organizing the International Conference & Exhibition on “Sugarcane Value Chain – Vision 2025 Sugar” during November 13 – 16, 2016 on its own campus. Eminent International and National speakers will deliver lectures on different aspects of the sugarcane value chain. Around 1500 delegates are expected to participate in the Conference from all over the globe.
The Conference coincides with the birth centenary year of Late Vasantdada Patil, founder of the Institute.
