Speaking on the occasion of the Annual General Meeting of the apex cooperative body, NCUI, in Delhi on Wednesday, its President Dileep Sanghani demanded 100% funding for cooperative education and training. The meeting was attended by almost all the Governing Council members, as well as more than 100 delegates from across the country.
Sanghani said, to ensure NCUI’s vital role in the new educational and training schemes, I have personally met with Amitbhai and the Secretary of Cooperation to emphasize the importance of NCUI’s involvement. I have urged that the NCCE, cooperative projects, implementation of state cooperative union proposals, and expenses of Junior Cooperative Training Centers should receive 100% funding from the Cooperative Education Fund,” he added.
Recently, the government requested NCUI to explore new revenue streams for financing cooperative education projects. Sanghani said I have written to Amitbhai, stressing that 100% of the expenses for such initiatives should be covered by the Cooperative Education Fund. I am confident that we will see positive outcomes in this regard. We are continuously working towards finding new sources of revenue through various activities, and I am optimistic about our success,” said Sanghani.
Sanghani emphasized that the most important role of NCUI is to help develop weak cooperatives and conduct training programs to strengthen the cooperative movement at the grassroots level. “What can NCUI do without the Fund, and how can it help you?” Sanghani asked the delegates who had come from across the country.
“If the Fund is with the government, you know its implication—applications would gather dust for months before a final decision is taken,” he stated. “I am still hopeful and request the government to rethink this. I am also optimistic that the upcoming cooperative policy will bring some ray of hope for the apex body,” said Sanghani.
Despite challenges, Sanghani remained optimistic about the emerging cooperative landscape in the country, stating that NCUI would strive to achieve the mission of prosperity through cooperatives, as envisioned by the Prime Minister.
He highlighted the developmental activities undertaken by NCUI in this context. The NCCE continues to make significant progress and during the year 2023-24, a total of 215 programs were conducted, benefiting 8,646 participants. Among these, NCUI successfully organized an Entrepreneurship Development Program for women, he added.
Sanghani noted NCUI’s international achievements. Several successful international training programs were organized. Notably, NCUI, in collaboration with CICTAB and the West Bengal State Cooperative Union, held a program on ‘Cooperative Governance’ for managing directors and senior officials.
Additionally, the Indian cooperative delegation actively participated in the ICA-AP Regional Assembly in Manila, the NEDAC General Assembly, and other important meetings, presenting the Indian cooperative movement’s perspectives on various issues.
Sanghani also mentioned that NCUI has developed new training modules for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), which have been well-received. The ‘Trainers for Training’ programs for PACS were successfully conducted in several locations.
NCUI has played a crucial role in the preparation of the ‘National Cooperative Database 2023’. Furthermore, through social media platforms and the publication of Sahakar Jagran, NCUI has effectively communicated the government’s schemes and initiatives to the masses, he added.
Several delegates also spoke on the occasion, with NCUI Vice President Bijender Singh proposing a vote of thanks. Bijender praised Sanghani for the massive renovation works that have given NCUI’s campus a fresh, new look.
