New Delhi – On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that the Union government spends 6.5 lakh crore annually on the agriculture industry and farmers’ welfare and he encouraged the cooperatives to assist in achieving India’s goal of becoming self-sufficient in edible oils.
On the occasion of the International Day of Cooperatives, Prime Minister Modi stated that the cooperatives are receiving the same amenities as the corporate sector during the opening ceremony of the 17th Indian Cooperative Congress at the International Exhibition-cum-Convention Centre (IECC) in Delhi.
Here are the words of PM Modi:
- The fisheries industry currently employs more than 25,000 cooperative sectors. In the previous nine years, inland fisheries have increased by a factor of two. The fishermen’s quality of life and ability to make a living are both improved by this.
- Indian products, from milk powder to butter to ghee, are in high demand worldwide. Our millets are developing a new market. For small farmers, our Shree Anna presents a fantastic possibility as a source of revenue.
- The government has supported Digital India, making it possible for recipients to receive direct benefits. Eliminating reliance on monetary transactions is another goal.
- India has established itself as the global leader in digital commerce. This also needs to be applied to our cooperative industry.
- The government gives each farmer an average of $50,000 every year, in one way or another.
- The PM-KISAN programme provides benefits to numerous small farmers without the involvement of middlemen. In the last four years, the programme has directly transferred 2.5 lakh crore into the bank accounts of farmers.
- Cooperatives can significantly contribute to India being self-sufficient.
- Over the past nine years, ethanol worth 70,000 crore has been bought from sugar mills.
- Instead of the agriculture sector spending less than $90,000 crore during the course of the UPA government’s five years, we now have a single programme, PM KISAN Samman Nidhi, that is spending $3 times as much.
- Each year, the Union government spends 6.5 lakh crore on agricultural and farmer welfare.
Amit Shah, the union home minister, added that the cooperative movement has been in our nation for almost 115 years. Since independence, the Ministry of Cooperation’s separation has been the principal demand of the sector’s employees. PM Modi established a separate Ministry of Cooperation after winning re-election as Prime Minister in 2019.
From July 1–2, the 17th Indian Cooperative Congress will be held. The stakeholders will examine various cooperative movement trends over the course of the two-day event, highlight best practises being used, deliberate problems being faced, and plan future policy actions for expansion of India’s cooperative movement.
