Cooperation Minister Unveils Annual Action Plan and Calendar; Year-Long Activities to Strengthen Cooperative Movement

Jaipur – Minister of State for Cooperation (Independent Charge) Shri Gautam Kumar Dak emphasized the need to strengthen the cooperative movement and engage more people in cooperatives during the International Year of Cooperatives 2025. He highlighted that transparency within cooperative institutions is crucial for maintaining public trust in the sector.

The minister made these remarks while addressing a state-level event at Nehru Sahakar Bhavan, following the launch of the state’s Annual Action Plan and Calendar for the International Year of Cooperatives. Officials and employees from across the state joined the event via video conference.

Strengthening the Cooperative Sector

Shri Dak noted that while the United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, India has been actively working to strengthen the sector since 2021 under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. He stated that the cooperative sector is being empowered through 54 initiatives under the vision of ‘Prosperity through Cooperation’ (Sahkar Se Samriddhi).

He stressed the goal of increasing the cooperative sector’s contribution to GDP to 40%, urging all stakeholders to understand their roles and responsibilities to achieve this objective.

Key Budget Announcements for the Cooperative Sector

The state government has prioritized the cooperative sector, with several landmark announcements in the state budget to accelerate the cooperative movement:

• Expansion of interest-free short-term crop loans, benefiting over 3.5 million farmers with loans amounting to ₹25,000 crore.
• Expansion of the Rajasthan Cooperative Gopal Credit Card Scheme, providing interest-free loans to 250,000 livestock farmers.
• Establishment of 2,500 new Gram Seva Cooperative Societies over the next two years, further strengthening the cooperative network in the state.

Call for Action: Strengthening the Cooperative Movement

Minister Dak urged officials and employees to recognize their responsibilities in strengthening the cooperative movement. He encouraged them to work with renewed enthusiasm throughout the International Year of Cooperatives. He also stressed that cooperative societies should remain open and accessible to all.

Additionally, he emphasized the importance of innovation, expanding cooperative activities, and addressing shortcomings through the new Cooperative Code.

Commitment to Making Rajasthan a Model State

Senior officials, including Additional Registrar Inder Singh, Sanjay Pathak, Bhomaram, and Sandeep Khandelwal, also shared their insights during the event. They assured that the entire department would work with double the enthusiasm throughout the year to establish Rajasthan as a model state in the cooperative sector.

The event saw the participation of all functional officers and other key officials.