New Delhi: Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is in the forefront of operationalizing different aspects of ATMA NIRBHAR BHARAT call given by our Prime Minister. Cooperatives have a major role in the country in realizing or Prime Minister’s dreams. NCDC is in the fore front of activities in translating the dreams into action by cooperatives.
Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar launched a new initiative by NCDC, the SAHAKAR COOPTUBE NCDC CHANNEL.
A key strategy in the ecosystem is to facilitate involvement of youth in cooperatives. Formation of new cooperatives is a prerequisite for bringing new life and dedication in the realm of cooperative movement. Towards this end, NCDC Design Studio has produced guidance videos on ‘Formation and Registration of A Cooperative’ for EIGHTEEN different states in Hindi and regional languages.
Cooperation being a state subject, each state has its own legal framework on formation and registration of cooperatives. Young people find it daunting to approach the authorities for registration of a new cooperative because of lack of information from a common source. Moreover, the related information is rarely available in simple and easily understandable manner for rural people who could form, register and manage cooperatives for their own socio-economic prosperity. It is a welcome step by NCDC to produce in-house short films or guidance videos on ‘Formation and Registration of A Cooperative’ in Hindi and other regional languages.
Cooperatives in India, have come a long way and have proven their success in improving the conditions of farmers and economic development. Largely as association of small and marginal farmers and rural poor, the cooperatives have acquired a huge network of over 8.50 lakh organizations and 290 million members. They have substantially contributed in raising income of their members and achieving rural prosperity. Cooperatives lend strength to farmers to minimize risks in agriculture and allied sector and act as shield against exploitation by unscrupulous trade.
The Union Government under Atma Nirbhar Bharat has recently announced a series of transformative measures and sector specific financial packages to help agriculture. The initiatives are steps towards One Nation One Market with the objective for India to become food factory of the world. The gamut of exhaustive reforms and measures are intended to strengthen all activities and services in agriculture, horticulture and allied sectors through creation and development of agriculture infrastructure, micro food enterprises, value chains and logistics for fishery and animal husbandry, medicinal and herbal plants, bee keeping and Operation Green. Significant legislative amendments have been made to create conducive environment for agriculture.
NCDC as an apex level statutory institution under my Ministry has achieved tremendous success with cumulative financial assistance to cooperatives to the tune of Rs1,54,000 crore. Beginning with meager disbursement of Rs.2.36 crores in 1963, NCDC disbursed around Rs.28,000 crore during 2019-20. NCDC has made a unprecedented progress in the last six years. It has achieved 83% of the cumulative financial assistance calculated since 1963, during these last six years alone.
NCDC with its pan India presence, has been in the forefront of creation of market linked business plan based ecosystem in agriculture and allied activities. It has launched various initiatives and programmes like SAHAKAR-22 to develop cooperatives in Focus 222 districts including aspirational districts, Nurturing Primary Level Cooperatives, SAHAKAR MITRA - Scheme on Internship Programme, and YUVA SAHAKAR- Start Up Scheme in Cooperatives and SAHAKAR PRAGYA for capacity development through its premier national academy named after the great cooperator, Shri Laxmanrao Inamdar Ji.
The guidance videos in different languages covering 18 States would strengthen and deepen the major initiatives of our Government to promote and form 10000 FPOs. NCDC has a major role in formation of FPOs in cooperative mode. More states would be added to the collection of guidance videos on NCDC SAHAKAR COOPTUBE CHANNEL in due course of time.
