Indian Cooperative Congress: Coop sector has huge role in enhancing potential of villages, farmers: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Saturday said that the role of cooperative sector is going to be huge in order to increase the potential of the country's villages and farmers in Amritkaal. The Prime Minister, who inaugurated the 17th Indian Cooperative Congress (ICC) in New Delhi, said several steps have been taken by the government for strengthening of the cooperative sector in the country.

He said that the Government is working for the welfare of farmers and striving to make each and every sector of agriculture, developed and self-reliant. He said the Central government spends over Rs 6,50,000 crore every year on agriculture and farmers' welfare. The PM said small and medium farmers have benefited immensely from the government schemes. Under the BJP government, the farmers are guaranteed to receive Rs 50,000 annually through different schemes. This is Modi's guarantee, he added.

Talking about the various initiatives taken for the welfare of farmers, the Prime Minister said, crores of small farmers are getting the benefits of PM-KISAN scheme. He said over Rs 2,50,000 crore have been directly transferred in bank accounts of farmers under the scheme. The government spent three times more on the PM Kisan scheme in comparison to Rs 90,000 crore spent on agriculture in five years during the UPA regime.

Modi said farmers are getting urea at Rs 270 per bag, which is significantly lower in comparison to the cost incurred by the farmers in Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and USA. He said the government has spent over Rs 10 lakh crore on fertiliser subsidy in the last nine years and given Rs 15 lakh crore as Minimum Support Price for foodgrains. He said the Government has announced a special package worth Rs 3,70,000 crore towards urea subsidy.

Highlighting the merits of the PM-PRANAM scheme, the Prime Minister said the government is focusing on promoting organic and natural farming in the country. He urged the cooperative sector to come forward and work in the direction of making soil health good and chemical free. He also exhorted the cooperative sector to promote micro irrigation, build foodgrain storage facilities, use technology and create a digital ecosystem.

The National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) is organising the two-day event with the theme of "Amrit Kaal: Prosperity through Cooperation for a Vibrant India", chaired by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.

According to the Ministry of Cooperation, the objective of the meeting is to discuss various trends in the cooperative movement, to showcase the best practices being adopted by the successful cooperatives and to deliberate on challenges being faced by the cooperative world. More than 3,600 stakeholders are participating in the event.