UP witnessing robust co-op movement; Minister thanks IFFCO

Making his acceptance speech in the wake of receiving the IFFCO Sahkarita Ratna Award, Uttar Pradesh Cooperation Minister JPS Rathore said that the cooperative movement has been revitalized in UP after the emergence of BJP rule in the state.

Rathore said that when the Yogi government took over, 16 DCCBs out of the total 50 had lost their licenses. “We negotiated with RBI and got them revoked,” he added. “Not only that, but 14 out of the 16 have also posted profits this financial year,” he stated.

He mentioned that a robust cooperative movement has taken root in the state of UP, and a massive computerization process is underway. “We launched a membership drive from September 1 to September 30 last year, which saw the enrollment of about 29 lakh new members. About Rs 70 crores in share capital also accrued,” Rathore informed.

He thanked IFFCO for its support in making UP a cooperative-conducive state and recalled how it helped the state co-ops with tables, chairs, and even LEDs. “I did not know much about IFFCO earlier, but today I am impressed by its work culture,” he added.

Rathore also recounted the times he held workshops and farmers’ meets to popularize the Nano range of fertilizers in the state. “My fascination with the benefits of Nano grew so much that some of my friends began to call me a brand ambassador of Nano Urea. I tell them why I want the farmers to extensively use Nano products,” he said, underlining its numerous benefits.

“I know that the acceptance of new products takes time and thus I interacted with IFFCO state officials and advised them to write pamphlets in simpler words with clarity so that farmers understand it better. It’s a matter of time before Nano becomes a household product for every farmer,” Rathore sounded confident.

Lauding Awasthi and others for contributing to the growth of IFFCO, Rathore said, “Awasthi has given every ounce of his energy for the growth of the co-op titan and I feel honored to have known him in the past. Awasthi ji is a graduate from IIT-BHU from where I passed out much later.”

The Minister also narrated a tale from his past, explaining how a chance meeting with Dileep Sanghani in the Parliamentary canteen in 1996 proved crucial. “Knowing that we did not have enough space to live in Delhi during our short visit, Sanghani got some of us to his MP residence and ensured our comfortable stay.”

Applauding Sanghani’s magnanimity, Rathore said, “He had the makings of a true cooperator since the very beginning. Luckily enough, when we went to stay at Sanghani’s MP residence, our current Prime Minister Narendra Modi was staying in one of the rooms there. We were fortunate to have got his company on occasions,” stated Rathore, going down memory lane.