Pauri: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami participated as the chief guest at the seventh day of the nine-day Cooperative Fair held at the Awas Vikas Maidan in Srinagar. Upon arriving at the venue, the Chief Minister was accorded a traditional welcome, accompanied by drums and the Marshall School band, in keeping with local traditions.
The Chief Minister first inspected the stalls displaying local products set up by various departments, groups, and institutions. He commended farmers and self-help groups for their efforts to promote local products and connect them to the market and interacted with them. The Chief Minister inaugurated the events by lighting a lamp.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said that cooperatives are a means of connecting society and advancing self-reliance. He said that this fair will further strengthen the spirit of cooperation and provide a broad platform for women and self-help groups to showcase their products. He said that cooperation is a symbol of India’s culture and way of life, which is also reflected in the spirit of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.” The Chief Minister informed that the year 2025 has been declared the World Cooperative Year and to realize the goal of prosperity through cooperation, the Central Government has established a separate Ministry of Cooperation.
The Chief Minister said that as part of concrete steps to strengthen the cooperative sector in the state, computerization of 671 cooperative societies has been completed so far. Furthermore, records of 3838 out of 5511 societies in 13 districts have been uploaded and made online on the National Cooperative Portal.
He said that compared to last year, the purchase of Mandua is being done at a minimum support price of Rs. 48.86 per kg, an increase of Rs. 5.50 per kg. He said that farmers are being provided interest-free loans of up to five lakh rupees for agricultural purposes under the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Kisan Kalyan Yojana. He said that the cooperative capital deposits of 16 thousand crore rupees in the state’s cooperative banks today are a testament to public trust.
The Chief Minister said that women entrepreneurship is getting a new direction through self-help groups, and the “Lakhpati Didi” campaign is progressing rapidly. The women of the state are realizing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s statement, “The third decade of the twenty-first century will belong to Uttarakhand,” through their quality products.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has prioritized ongoing development projects in the districts. Uttarakhand became the first state in the country to implement the Uniform Civil Code. To curb counterfeiting, the country’s strictest anti-counterfeiting law has been implemented, and more than a hundred counterfeiters have been jailed. Taking prompt cognizance of the recent counterfeiting scandal in Haridwar, necessary action has been taken, and in keeping with the expectations of the youth, a CBI investigation has been recommended. He said that by implementing a strict land law in the state, land mafias have been effectively curbed, which has ensured the security of Uttarakhand’s core identity and land.
The Chief Minister said that as per the demand of the Cabinet Minister/local MLA, the DPR for sewer line and drinking water supply in Srinagar will be approved immediately upon receipt, ensuring uninterrupted water supply for fifteen hours in the city.
At the event, Cabinet Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that currently 3.1 million people are associated with cooperatives in the state, with a target of increasing this number to 5 million. Cooperatives have distributed loans at zero percent interest to 1.6 million farmers across the state. He informed that women self-help groups did business worth approximately 3.5 million rupees at the Cooperative Fair held in Srinagar, and this fair generated business worth approximately 1 crore rupees in Srinagar.
The Minister informed that the cooperative is currently generating a profit of 30 crore rupees and 1.80 lakh didis have become “lakhpati didis,” a target to increase this number to four lakh. The Cooperation Minister stated that employment opportunities are steadily increasing due to the government’s efforts. Tomorrow, appointment letters will be distributed to 1,500 LT teachers, bringing the state’s employment to over 26,500.
During the program, the Chief Minister and the Cooperation Minister distributed checks worth ₹5 lakh each to Shakti Self Help Group, Pabau, for horticulture, Udaan Self Help Group, Pabau, for poultry farming, Savera Self Help Group, Paligaon, Pabau, for making plates and leaves, Mahadev Self Help Group, Paithani, for poultry farming, and Malan Self Help Group, Jayharikhal, for rearing Badri cows. Furthermore, Vasundhara Autonomous Cooperative, Pasina, and Jai Bholenath Autonomous Cooperative, Kanderi, received checks worth ₹4 lakh each for agricultural equipment under the Agriculture Department’s SM AM scheme, while Naveen Patwal was honored for his Gucchi production technique. The Chief Minister praised the school children’s excellent cultural performances and encouraged them.
MLA Pauri Rajkumar Pori, District Panchayat Chairperson Rachna Butola, District Magistrate Swati S. Bhadoria, Senior Superintendent of Police Lokeshwar Singh, Additional District Magistrate Anil Garbyal, Vice President Uttarakhand Pradesh Cooperative Union Shailendra Singh Bisht, Mayor Municipal Corporation Srinagar Aarti Bhandari and BJP District President Kamal were present in the program.
