ICAAP President Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadavand NCUI President Dileep Sanghanion jointlyreleased a policy recommendation handbook on SAHAKAR PRAGYA Good Practices for Cooperatives based on a ‘Brain Storming Session on International Good Practices Platform for Cooperatives’ conducted earlier by Laxmanrao Inamdar National Academy for Cooperative Research and Development (LINAC) of NCDC. It is expected to help cooperatives in India and abroad to innovate and adopt best models not only to stay competitive, but also distinguish themselves as successful commercial entities. MD NCDC Sundeep Nayak and National President Sahakar Bharati DN Thakur were also present in the function held at NCDC headquarters.

Speaking on the occasion,Yadav pointed out that “The cooperatives have inherent advantages in tackling the problems of poverty alleviation, food security, and employment generation—a path to self-reliance. This has also been reflected during the Covid-19 times.

“I am certain, that this handbook will be a beacon of light for many cooperatives looking to contribute to Atmanirbhar Bharatie self-reliant India.”

A compendium of guidelines, resources, methodologies, key learning, case studies of the best performing cooperatives in India and abroad and the outcome and impact, the handbook would serve as an action plan that can help these entities to achieve the goal of self-reliance.

Dileep Sanghani said, “It is heartening to note that, taking a cue from Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah, NCDC-LINAC and International Co-Operative Alliance Asia And Pacific (ICA AP) have come together to set up a platform to share their wide experience and ideas for transmitting Indian good practices of cooperatives abroad and vice versa.”

In this regard, NCDC-LINAC and ICAAP signed an agreement intending to assimilate and develop further on the core strengths, experience and institutional objectives of the respective parties in the interest of advancement of research, study, documentation and training for development of the cooperative sector. On behalf of LINAC, Lt Col Dr Baljit Singh, Chief Director, LINAC, Gurugram signed the pact while Balasubramanian Iyer, Regional Director, ICA AP represented the other party.

“The handbook has been developed by LINAC-NCDC in consultation with eminent experts and leading organizations in the domain of cooperatives. The consultation process for the Handbook was initiated in November 2021 inspired by the ideas of Home and Cooperation Minister,” recalled NCDC MD Sundeep Nayak.

International experts and other participants from across the country had deliberated on the difficulties in operating cooperatives and possible solutions to those challenges.

The final format also included focused group discussions covering best practices adopted by several cooperatives in the country as in abroad which helped them deftly sail through the economic gloom posed by Covid-19 pandemic.

Some of the best practices were from milk, credit and banking co-operatives in the handbook, details which are aligned with the Government’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

India has more than 8 lakh registered cooperative societies, especially in the agricultural and agri-allied sector, banking and housing sectors. The cooperative movement in the country has regained focus after the Union Government recently created the Ministry of Cooperation to provide a separate administrative legal and policy framework for streamlining the cooperatives.

The Government is also in the process of framing a new cooperative policy and proposes to work in tandem with states to strengthen the cooperative movement which are now being considered as an important plank of development.

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MV/MG