Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi inaugurated the Global Cooperative Conference 2024 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also launched the United Nations’ International Year of Cooperatives 2025 and released a commemorative postal stamp. On this occasion, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah, the Prime Minister of Bhutan, the Deputy Prime Minister of Fiji, the President of International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), the Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, and several other dignitaries were present.

On this occasion, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said in his address that the United Nations' decision to observe 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives is a timely step and will prove to be a blessing for millions of poor people and farmers worldwide. He added that the inauguration of the International Year of Cooperatives-2025 by Prime Minister Modi today and the hosting of the International Cooperative Conference of the ICA in India is a welcome step.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi three years ago gave the clarion call of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” which reflects the essence of theme of this conference, which paved the way for the prosperity of millions of villages, women, and farmers. He said that in previous 3 years, many new activities have taken place in the cooperative sector of India, and after 75 years of independence, India's cooperative movement has experienced a revival, bringing with it a new zeal.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in next 3 years, through 2 lakh new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), there will not be a single village panchayat in India without a cooperative society. He said that many steps have also been taken to make PACS modern, tech-enabled and economically-viable. He said that through 3 new cooperative bodies formed at the national level, the farmers of India will be able to increase their access to the domestic as well as global market. He said that National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL),  National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) will not only increase the participation of farmers in world trade in the coming days, but will also work to inspire cooperatives all over the World as to how a small farmer can reach all the markets of the World. Shri Shah said that Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), Krishak Bharti Cooperative (KRIBHCO) and Amul have set examples in the field of cooperatives all over the world and similarly these three cooperatives will also guide the people working in the cooperative sectors of the World.

Shri Amit Shah said that after the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation three years ago, the entire legal framework of cooperatives has been strengthened, the White Revolution 2.0 and the Blue Revolution have also begun, in which the role of cooperatives is very important. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, comprehensive changes have taken place in the last 3 years for the overall development of cooperatives. Shri Shah said that in the coming days, we are also going to build a cooperative university, through which trained and tech-enabled human resources will be created. In the "International Year of Cooperatives," the Modi government will usher in new dimensions to India's cooperative movement by introducing a new cooperative policy.

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that in order to expand the reach of cooperatives, the Government of India is committed to connecting every village and farmer with the cooperative movement. He added that numerous efforts have been made to explore new areas and extend the scope of cooperatives.

Shri Shah stated that under the guidance of Prime Minister Modi, significant work has been done in the past three years to extend the reach of cooperatives to every individual and sector. He emphasized that the cooperative movement has opened several avenues for the empowerment of villages, farmers, women, and the underprivileged. Through this movement, the goal of "Sahkar se Samriddhi” envisioned by Prime Minister Modi, can be achieved in the coming times. He also said that the International Year of Cooperatives, inaugurated today by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, will pave the way for the empowerment of millions of poor people, farmers, and women worldwide, enabling them to live with dignity and respect.

***

RK/VV/PR/PS