The Ministry of Cooperation, along with apex cooperative organizations in India, is gearing up to craft a strategic roadmap to strengthen the cooperative movement across states, leveraging the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC).
A series of high-level meetings is being held regularly to identify the most effective ways to capitalize on this global opportunity. Earlier, NCUI President Dileep Sanghani called for reinforcing cooperative initiatives in villages across the country. On Monday, officials from the Union Ministry of Cooperation convened a stakeholder meeting to brainstorm strategies for leveraging the opportunities presented by IYC 2025.
Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary of the Union Ministry of Cooperation, chaired the inaugural meeting of the IYC-National Cooperative Committee (NCC) in New Delhi on Monday. The agenda focused on devising a comprehensive media plan, promoting the use of the IYC logo, and strategizing the extensive publicity and dissemination of IYC-related activities both in India and internationally.
The meeting brought together prominent officials, including Rabindra Kumar Agarwal, Additional Secretary and Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS); Siddharth Kumar Jain, Joint Secretary; and Kapil Meena, Director, all from the Ministry of Cooperation. Also present were Chairpersons and Managing Directors of various cooperative federations, senior ministry officials, and key stakeholders from the cooperative sector, with participation facilitated through both virtual and in-person formats.
This pivotal discussion marks a crucial step toward fostering cooperative principles and ensuring the robust implementation of IYC initiatives across the nation and the globe.
During a recent New Year address at the NCUI headquarters in Delhi, NCUI President Dileep Sanghani underscored the importance of the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. He urged stakeholders to strengthen cooperative initiatives at the grassroots level, particularly in villages, to align with the vision of making cooperatives a powerful force for socio-economic transformation.
Earlier, the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development and Cooperation (CEDC) under the NCUI inaugurated the IYC 2025 preparations by hosting the first meeting of the newly formed Committee of Women Entrepreneurs (CoWE). This initiative underscores the vital role of women entrepreneurs in advancing the cooperative movement.
It is noteworthy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi formally announced the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives during a historic global conference held at Bharat Mandapam.