New Delhi, June 30
Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah lauded the efforts made under the "Sahkar se Samriddhi" or prosperity through cooperation initiative while inaugurating the 76th Annual General Meeting of Kheda District Central Cooperative (KDCC) Bank Limited, Nadiad, Gujarat through video conferencing.
He inaugurated the new building of a bank (Sardar Patel Sahkar Bhavan) constructed at a cost of Rs 18.70 crore, as per an official statement of the Ministry of Cooperation.
Sahkar Se Samriddhi scheme aims to maximise the potential of cooperatives to propel economic progress in India. The Ministry of Cooperation is in charge of the initiative.
The Union Minister said that Amul set an example of achieving "Sahkar se Samriddhi" (Prosperity through Cooperation) in front of the entire country and the world.
Addressing the program, the Union Home and Cooperative Minister said that Kheda is the same district from where Amul was started under the successful guidance of the country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
Shah appealed to the people associated with cooperative institutions to open their bank accounts in the District Cooperative Banks so that a strong economic structure could be built in the cooperative sector, an official release of the Ministry of Cooperation said.
He said that the centre is running pilot projects under the new initiative "Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives" in Banaskantha and Panchmahal districts.
The Union Minister further stated that the success of "Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives" would allow India's cooperative sector to be self-sufficient, eliminating the need for financial support from the Central or State Government.
"If the mantra of "Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives" becomes successful, then India does not need to take help from anyone in the cooperative sector," the Union Minister said.
He highlighted that the cooperative movement could flourish solely with the resources of cooperative institutions.
Recognising the importance of District Cooperative Banks he said they should also contribute towards strengthening the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).
He said that the Government of India has started strengthening PACS by taking 20 different initiatives and the District Cooperative Banks should also come forward in this work. He said that stronger PACS will further strengthen the cooperative banks.