New Delhi: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, inaugurated the new office buildings for three multi-state cooperative societies – Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), and National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL) in New Delhi today. The event was attended by Union Minister of State for Cooperation, B.L. Verma, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, and other dignitaries, including the Chairpersons and Managing Directors of NCEL, NCOL, and BBSSL.
He emphasized the Ministry of Cooperation’s focus on bridging gaps, expanding cooperatives, increasing turnover, and ensuring benefits reach farmers.
The three cooperatives – NCEL, NCOL, and BBSSL – were established with the active involvement of leading cooperative societies like AMUL, NAFED, NCCF, IFFCO, KRIBHCO, NABARD, and NCDC as their original promoters.
Shah underscored the multifaceted objectives of these cooperatives, which include promoting organic farming, enhancing seed conservation, and boosting agricultural exports. The societies will cover the entire chain of organic products, from collection to export, providing solutions to challenges faced by the trade and industry.
The Minister of Cooperation shared that the cooperatives have received an overwhelming response, with thousands of applications from members. This, he said, demonstrates the extensive scope of work and the efficient execution of grassroots-level initiatives.
Shah elaborated on the importance of the cooperative society for seeds, which aims to preserve and enhance the quality of natural seeds. The society for organic products will contribute to the health protection of the population by increasing the production, marketing, and access to organic products. Additionally, the society for exports will play a pivotal role in boosting India’s share in global agricultural exports.
The Minister set ambitious targets, including increasing the turnover of export cooperative societies to one lakh crore rupees annually over the next five years. He emphasized that the societies would directly deposit profits into farmers’ bank accounts through Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
Amit Shah expressed confidence that these initiatives would contribute to the success of organic farming, seed conservation, and agricultural exports, ensuring a transformative impact on the agriculture sector.