Union Minister of State for Agriculture Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kunderia inaugurated the 62nd All India Cooperative Week, a weeklong event organized by the apex body of cooperatives National Cooperative of India (NCUI) in New Delhi on Saturday. The theme this Year is “Make in India through Cooperatives”.
Addressing the participants Kunderia said 25 crore people are associated with the cooperative movement, and I as cooperator for many years count myself one of them.
Kunderia said cooperatives are in every sector. Most of the farmers of the country are linked through cooperatives in one way or other and cooperative institutions like Amul, IFFCO, KRIBHCO and many other such organizations are playing an important role in changing the life of farmers.
“Sufficient allocation would be made in the budget for strengthening cooperative education and training. And the govt is committed to ensuring transparency in the working of cooperatives so that there are no irregularities in their functioning”, he underlined.
He touched upon many issues such as autonomy for cooperatives, revival of NAFED, crop insurance, soil health card
NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh, CEO, Dr Dinesh, Gujarat Cooperator G.H.Amin who is the vice-chairman of NCUI and Biscomaun Chairman Sunil Singh were present on the dais. NAFCUB CEO, Subhash Gupta, FISHCOPFED MD B.K.Mishra , H L Khurana from Housing sector as well as several other veteran cooperators were also there.
NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh Yadav blamed the neglect of the cooperative sector on the government. There is not a single line for cooperatives in the budget, he lamented.
He said cooperatives are the only organizations which can compete with MNCs. There are 6 lakh cooperatives and the various Government policies should be implemented through cooperatives, he demaded.
Chandra Pal added the RBI High Powered Committee recommendations on privatization of Urban Cooperative Banks will destroy the legal entity of cooperatives and therefore the autonomy of cooperatives should be not be diluted at all.
“Give us freedom and we would give you little chance of complain. We are aware that even a solitary case of corruption derails the whole movement”, NCUI President said amid thunderous applause.
Earlier Dr Dinesh read out the messages from VIPs on the occasion of Cooperative Week. The Vice President of India Hamid Ansari to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh to several Chief Ministers-all have greeted NCUI on this occasion.
The 62nd All India Cooperative week was attended by 6 hundred representatives from youth and cooperative organizations. The NCUI Annual Magazine “Deepshikha” was launched on the occasion.
NCUI, Vice Chairman G.H.Amin proposed a vote of thanks.
