National Review Meeting on Cooperatives Concludes in Bhubaneswar, Strengthening Rural Societies

Bhubaneswar: To empower cooperatives and bolster cooperative societies in rural areas, a two-day national review meeting organized by the Ministry of Cooperation concluded successfully today. The meeting was inaugurated by Manoj Ahuja, Chief Secretary of the Odisha Government, with Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, in attendance as a distinguished guest.

One of the primary objectives of the meeting was to ensure the smooth implementation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to three major initiatives recently launched by Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah. The focus is on establishing and strengthening two lakh new Multi-Purpose Agricultural Cooperative Societies (MPACS), Dairy and Fishery Cooperatives, as well as implementing SOPs on ‘White Revolution 2.0’ and ‘Cooperation among Cooperatives’. A key discussion point was to make PACS a vibrant economic unit capable of national and international exports.

The meeting aimed to evaluate the successful implementation of the Ministry’s 100-day action plan, emphasizing the importance of youth participation in promoting cooperative start-ups. It was noted that increasing youth involvement in cooperative societies and modernizing cooperative education and training systems will be critical moving forward.

Manoj Ahuja highlighted the necessity of forming strong grassroots institutions that cater to the essential needs of local communities, including quality inputs, storage structures, processing facilities, credit access, and marketing avenues. He drew parallels with successful models like Amul’s Multi-State Cooperative Societies, stating that various initiatives by the Ministry of Cooperation—such as Model Bye-laws, computerization, and Jan Aushadhi Kendras—have transformed cooperative societies into comprehensive service centers for farmers.

Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani stressed the vital role of cooperative societies in contributing to the GDP. He emphasized the significance of forming MPACS through the adoption of Model Bye-laws, which has allowed PACS to explore 25 new business avenues, thereby economically strengthening them. Furthermore, the establishment of three new cooperative societies—NCEL, NCOL, and BBSSL—has expanded opportunities for PACS to secure competitive prices for their produce, including organic products, in national and international markets.

In his address, Dr. Bhutani also outlined the Ministry of Cooperation’s efforts in digitization through the National Cooperative Development (NCD) Database, aimed at real-time data collection and planning for effective monitoring and implementation of initiatives nationwide.

To further bolster the cooperative movement in India, regular capacity-building training sessions are being organized with the ambition to train 50% of cooperative members within the next five years. He urged cooperative departments across all states and Union Territories to participate in the International Cooperative Alliance scheduled for November 2024.