By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 10 Feb: In an effort to empower and develop the cooperative sector in Uttarakhand, the state’s Cooperation Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, along with his departmental officials, is currently on a visit to the Netherlands. During this visit, he will explore models related to dairy development, rural commercial development, floriculture, and modern agricultural techniques. He will also gain insights into the financial management processes based on cooperative principles at Rabobank, one of the largest financial service institutions in the Netherlands.
In a statement issued from the Netherlands, Dr Rawat explained that he is on this foreign tour with Cooperation Secretary Dilip Jawalkar and Managing Director of the State Cooperative Bank, Neeraj Belwal. The tour is being organised in collaboration with the Bankers’ Institute of Rural Development, an initiative by NABARD. He mentioned that an international workshop, hosted by Rabobank has been arranged to promote the cooperative sector, with participation from over 26 officials from the cooperative departments across the country, as well as Himachal Minister for Horticulture and Cooperation, Jagat Singh Negi.
Dr Rawat shared that this workshop will feature presentations by experts on key topics such as cooperative governance, value chain finance, rural commercial development, horticulture, floriculture, dairy development, and food & agricultural research. Additionally, there will be visits to various international institutions located in different cities of the Netherlands. He noted that Rabobank, one of the largest financial service institutions in the Netherlands, operates under cooperative principles and is a leader in agricultural financing. The bank plays a crucial role in providing financial support to the global food and agricultural sector.
Dr Rawat emphasised that the geographical conditions of the Netherlands are similar to those of Uttarakhand. He plans to study their advanced agricultural systems, food processing, floriculture, horticulture, cooperative governance, rural commercial development, and dairy development models in-depth. These models will then be implemented in Uttarakhand to benefit the state’s farmers, women, and youth. Additionally, by leveraging Rabobank’s financial services, the financial system of the state’s cooperative banks will be made stronger and more effective.
