A high-level meeting of Cooperation Ministers from all states and union territories is set to take place in Gujarat’s Gandhinagar on February 17. The gathering aims to assess key reforms and expansion plans within the cooperative sector, including the proposed establishment of two lakh new cooperative societies nationwide. The ‘Manthan Baithak’ will be overseen by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah at the Mahatma Mandir convention center.
Cooperation Ministers from various regions, alongside senior officials like Additional Chief Secretaries, Principal Secretaries, and Secretaries, are expected to participate. The meeting will focus on evaluating the progress of significant initiatives by the Ministry of Cooperation and fostering discussions on a unified roadmap for the sector. It will also provide a platform for states and Union Territories to exchange experiences and best practices.
Among the key agenda items are plans to create two lakh new Multi-Purpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (MPACS), as well as dairy and fisheries cooperative societies. These initiatives aim to bolster rural credit systems, enhance service delivery in agriculture and allied sectors, and expand a modern warehouse network nationwide under the grain storage initiative.
The meeting will also deliberate on the involvement of states in three newly established national-level cooperative institutions: National Cooperative Exports Limited, National Cooperative Organics Limited, and Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited. These institutions are designed to bolster exports, advocate for organic farming, and streamline the supply of quality seeds. Discussions will also cover amendments to state cooperative laws, measures to enhance the financial sustainability of cooperative sugar mills, and strategies to boost sustainability and growth in the dairy sector in collaboration with the National Dairy Development Board.
Additionally, the agenda includes promoting pulses and maize production, addressing challenges faced by cooperative banks, strengthening shared service entities and umbrella structures, expanding membership and awareness campaigns, and enhancing media outreach. The meeting will also review the computerization of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies and offices of Registrars of Cooperative Societies, utilization of the National Cooperative Database, human resource development, and scheme implementation by the National Cooperative Development Corporation to improve coordination between the Centre and states.
