A two-day workshop titled “Sahkar Se Samriddhi” focusing on strengthening cooperative societies in Northeast India concluded in Aizawl on Wednesday. The programme was held at the Conference Hall of the Assembly House and was jointly organised by the Ministry of Cooperation, National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development and the Cooperation Department of the Mizoram government. The workshop was attended by Cooperation Secretaries and Registrars of Cooperative Societies from different northeastern states. Addressing the gathering, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary of the Ministry of Cooperation, said it is important to understand the unique challenges faced by the northeastern region while planning cooperative development initiatives.
He encouraged participants from various states to make effective use of support and assistance provided by the National Cooperative Development Corporation in implementing different cooperative projects and programmes. Bhutani also said that the Central Government has established Sahakar Sarathi for rural cooperative banks and the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation for urban cooperative banks across the country to strengthen the cooperative financial system. Mizoram Chief Secretary Khiili Ram Meena said the cooperative sector plays an important role in the lives and economy of the people of Mizoram.
He stated that Mizoram has become the first state in the country to fully computerise the Registrar Society Office. He further informed that 24 Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS) in the state have already been computerised, while work is continuing for another 75 societies. The Chief Secretary also said that the Mizoram government and cooperative institutions are jointly working under the Bana Kaih initiative to strengthen economic activities and improve the functioning of cooperative societies in the state.
