GANDHINAGAR: The Union Home minister, Amit Shah, chaired the Manthan meeting in Gandhinagar on Tuesday under the theme of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ with the presence of Cooperation ministers from all states and Union Territories.
During the meeting, projects related to ethanol, energy, organic potash, warehouses, and protein powder plants, amounting to Rs 265 crore, were inaugurated, and foundation stones were laid.
Speaking on the occasion, Amit Shah said that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the country is growing in every field and will become a developed country by the year 2047. He further said that cooperatives can ensure the dignity and prosperity of the country’s 140 crore people, particularly in the areas of agriculture, rural development, and animal husbandry.
Shah said that the storage of food grains is of utmost importance, and the storage capacity must be tripled with cooperatives contributing two-thirds of the total capacity. He said that 70 per cent of the procurement is conducted in Punjab and Haryana, and the regions could be better aligned with respect to procurement, storage, and distribution, which could reduce the transportation cost by 30-40 per cent.
Shah further said that the sugar mills in the country must be revived, and the production of fertilisers and gas must begin, as eleven products can be produced from sugar complexes. The minister also asked the states to study the successful model of Banas Dairy.
The meeting also focused on the progress of establishing two lakh new primary agricultural credit societies and the expansion of modern warehouses under the world’s largest grain storage scheme. The states were also asked to actively participate in the national cooperative bodies such as National Cooperative Exports Limited, National Cooperative Organics Limited, and Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited.