New cooperative policy soon: Amit Shah

Yesterday, speaking at the convocation ceremony of Vaikuntha Mehta National Cooperative Management Institute in Pune, Maharashtra, Union home minister Amit Shah, who is also minister of cooperation said that a national level cooperative university will be set up soon in the country to further expand the cooperative sector.

The government has decided to amend the Multi State Cooperative Societies Act 2002 to establish an effective regulatory mechanism for multi-state cooperative societies and remove the loopholes in the existing act

Emphasising the need for expansion of cooperative sector in the villages Mr.Shah said, for various sectors like fisheries, micro irrigation, there are many government schemes in 23 different departments, which will be collectively brought under the common umbrella of the Cooperation Department. Currently, there is a lot of talk about organic farming but there is no proper system for validation due to which farmers do not get the right prices for their produce, he said. He mentioned that the government is working to certify organic products and to establish a laboratory in the country that will audit land so that farmers get more prices.

'Sahakar Sandarbha'- a book was released by Mr Shah at the event. He said, the country's Primary Agriculture Society will be modernised and linked to District & State Cooperative Banks, which will later be linked to NABARD, to boost the cooperative sector in the country.