Garhwal Post Bureau
Delhi/Dehradun, 30 Jun: Participating in the ‘Manthan’ programme held at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi, on Monday, Uttarakhand’s Cooperation Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat effectively presented the state’s key cooperative achievements and requirements before Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
Dr Rawat highlighted that Uttarakhand is the first state in the country to ensure 33% participation of women in the cooperative sector. Under the Millet Mission, farmers’ incomes have multiplied. Previously, farmers sold mandua (finger millet) for Rs 10/kg, but now, through cooperative societies, it is procured directly from farmers’ homes at Rs 42/kg—reviving interest in millet cultivation across the state.
The minister stated that women’s self-help groups are being provided collateral-free loans of Rs 1 lakh, Rs 3 lakh, and Rs 5 lakh at zero interest through the Cooperation Department, fostering self-reliance and entrepreneurship among women.
So far, loans worth Rs 6,500 crore have been disbursed to over 12 lakh farmers in the state.
Dr Rawat emphasised the need for financial support to newly formed MPACS (Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) and other cooperative institutions to promote value-chain-based development in hilly regions. He proposed establishing a campus of the proposed Tribhuvan Cooperative University in Uttarakhand and assured that the state government is ready to provide land and infrastructure for it.
He extended an invitation to cooperative institutions from all states and especially to Union Minister Amit Shah to participate in Uttarakhand’s upcoming seven-day State Cooperative Fair.
Dr Rawat also proposed integrating the Vibrant Villages Programme with the cooperative model by developing a system for exchange of vegetables and essential commodities between the armed forces and residents of border areas. He added that schemes like the Ghasyari Kalyan Yojana are being linked with cooperative models to strengthen rural livelihoods.
Seeking central support, Dr Rawat requested the revival of the 30% subsidy previously provided to states under the NCDC scheme by the Ministry of Agriculture, now to be reinstated under the Ministry of Cooperation.
He added that, against the target of forming 65 PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) per national committee, Uttarakhand has successfully added 500 PACS. All cooperative targets set by the central government for the state have been fully achieved.
Registrar of Cooperatives Mehrban Singh Bisht and Additional Registrar Anand Shukla also represented Uttarakhand at the Manthan session.
