DW BUREAU / Chandigarh

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Thursday highlighted the pivotal role of the cooperative movement in fostering economic growth and urged the people to actively engage with cooperatives to help realize the vision of Viksit Bharat - Viksit Haryana.

The Chief Minister was addressing a gathering at the concluding function of the 71st National Cooperative Week in Gurugram. He said a new state-of-the-art cooperative sugar mill will be established in Narayangarh soon. In addition, a modern sunflower oil crushing mill will be set up in Kurukshetra and the country's largest cooperative mustard oil mill will be established in Rewari, he added.

According to an official statement, Saini outlined suggestions including bringing local products to both national and international markets, establishing facilities for crop storage, processing, and marketing to benefit local farmers, and training women's self-help groups in skill development, financial literacy, and leadership.

He also called for the implementation of skill development and entrepreneurship programs tailored for the youth, as well as the adoption of digital payment systems and e-governance practices to enhance operational efficiency.

He also urged to work under a public-private partnership model to maximize resources and expertise.

He also suggested creating a unified brand for various products in Haryana, similar to AMUL and others. "By developing a comprehensive action plan for cooperatives, we can promote our local millets, such as Shri Anna, and take them to greater heights," he added.

The Chief Minister said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has outlined a vision for India to become a developed nation by 2047. He expressed confidence that the mantra of "Prosperity through Cooperation" will play a significant role in achieving this goal. Current state government is dedicated to the welfare and upliftment of people associated with cooperatives, he said, adding that to support this commitment, numerous welfare schemes are being implemented to enhance the well-being of cooperative members and their families.

All 19 District Central Cooperative Banks have issued Rupay Kisan Credit Cards to over 7 lakh farmers statewide. In addition, 11 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) centers have been selected for warehouse development", said Saini.

He also shared details of a 50 per cent interest rebate under the interest relief scheme for timely loan repayments, which has already benefited many, totaling Rs 101 crore in interest relief. He highlighted the Kanyadan scheme, which provides Rs 1,100 for the marriage of daughters of Cooperative Milk Producer Committee members, alongside a scholarship program for their meritorious children, awarding Rs 2,100 for those scoring above 80 per cent in class 10 and Rs 5,100 for class 12.

The Chief Minister said HAFED is receiving orders for Basmati rice exports from Dubai and other countries, having exported about 1 lakh metric tonnes valued at Rs 1,200 crore. HAFED has also established new oil mills in Rewari and Narnaul, as well as a turmeric plant in Radaur. A mega food park is being established in Rohtak at a cost

of Rs 180 crore.

The state's sugar mills are operating at full capacity, crushing 360 lakh quintals of sugarcane and producing 35 lakh quintals of sugar this season. Cooperative sugar mills in Panipat, Rohtak, Karnal, Shahabad, and Gohana earned Rs 63 crore by selling 13 crore units of electricity to the State Power Grid during the 2023-24 crushing season.

Speaking on this occasion, Cooperation Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma said that the State government is actively working to promote the cooperative movement. He highlighted various initiatives undertaken by the department aimed at empowering cooperative societies across the state.

(editor@dailyworld.in)