SPIRIT OF CORPORATION

AT THE INDIA TODAY COOPERATIVE SUMMIT, THE GOVERNMENT REITERATED ITS PLAN TO TAKE COOPERATIVES TO EVERY PANCHAYAT

- Dhaval S. Kulkarni

The Union government has reiterated its commitment to strengthen the system of co-operatives, which have their roots in India's past. For this, a massive expansion in the distribution and reach of cooperative societies covering all panchayats is on the anvil.

The move will allow these primary credit societies to go beyond their legacy mandate of providing short-term agriculture loans to finance multifarious activities, like cooking gas distribution and taxi service.

These were among the slew of announcements made at the maiden INDIA TODAY 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' summit in Mumbai on June 20. The event was attended by Amit Shah, Union home minister and minister of cooperation; Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union minister of agriculture and farmers' welfare and minister of rural development; and Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister, Maharashtra, among other dignitaries.

Shah said while the country is known for the cooperation movement, it has an uneven presence. It is strong in western states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa, but has been weakened in the northern and eastern states. The government now plans to ensure that not even a single village panchayat is bereft of a cooperative society.