Women’s Contribution Strengthens the Concept of Cooperatives: National Women’s Commission Chairperson

Jaipur : National Women’s Commission Chairperson, Mrs. Vijaya K. Rahatkar, emphasized that cooperatives have evolved from an idea to a movement and a revolution, becoming synonymous with empowerment. She highlighted that women’s participation has been instrumental in strengthening the concept of cooperatives.

Addressing a lecture on the role of women, youth, and farmers in cooperatives at the Udaipur Dairy Plant of the Udaipur Milk Producers Union on Monday evening, Mrs. Rahatkar said that the idea of cooperatives played a key role in organizing farmers during the freedom movement. Over time, this idea transformed into a movement and a revolution, becoming a robust foundation. She noted that the United Nations has declared 2025 as the Year of Cooperatives, signifying its importance. The government has established a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation to enhance the spirit of cooperation, converting cooperative societies into multipurpose committees. By integrating with information technology, cooperative societies are working in the interests of farmers and livestock rearers. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is swiftly progressing toward becoming a developed nation, with cooperatives playing a crucial role. Currently, every fifth person in the country is associated with a cooperative society, and public trust in cooperative banks has increased significantly, leading to deposits exceeding ₹12,000 crores.

Mrs. Rahatkar further stated that women are leading in cooperatives, managing activities like dairy farming, animal husbandry, and beekeeping. She cited examples of significant women-led initiatives across the country and urged Rajasthan to promote similar efforts.

Key Public Participation in Cooperatives

Speaking at the event, State Minister for Cooperation, Gautam Dak, highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah envision prosperity through cooperatives. He acknowledged the importance of public participation in cooperatives and commended Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma for taking impactful steps to increase women’s participation in the cooperative sector. Minister Dak noted that the Prime Minister has made extensive efforts to empower farmers, complemented by the state government’s initiatives through various schemes.

He assured that the department is taking every possible measure to prevent irregularities in cooperative societies and to provide justice to the affected. He also mentioned that suggestions from opposition leaders and stakeholders have been incorporated into the new Cooperative Code.

The lecture was also addressed by Udaipur MP Dr. Mannalal Rawat and rural MLA Phool Singh Meena. Social workers Ravindra Shrimali, Chandragupt Singh Chauhan, Pramod Samar, Paras Singhvi, Takht Singh Shaktawat, Kiran Jain, Dairy Chairman Dalchand Dangi, Dairy Manager Vipin Sharma, and several dignitaries and intellectuals were present at the event.