Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav said that the year 2025 is being celebrated as the International Cooperative Year, and emphasized the need to organize activities at the village and ward levels to expand the reach of cooperatives across the state and contribute to sustainable development. He stressed on the importance of fostering a corporate culture within the cooperative framework, along with promoting innovation and the use of information technology to strengthen cooperative societies. Dr. Yadav highlighted the need to align these efforts with Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s mantra of “focus on knowledge,” aiming to lay the foundation for next-generation cooperatives that will contribute to a developed India. He was addressing the State Level Apex Committee meeting held at the Ministry to plan and implement activities for the International Cooperative Year 2025. Present at the meeting were Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Shri Prahlad Singh Patel, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Shri Govind Singh Rajput, Cooperative Minister Shri Vishwas Sarang, Chief Secretary Shri Anurag Jain, and other senior officials.
Chief Minister Dr. Mohan Yadav emphasized on the need for coordinated efforts among the departments of Revenue, Farmers Welfare and Development, Animal Husbandry and Dairy, and Fishermen Welfare and Fisheries Development to identify farmers who have not yet been covered under the Kisan Credit Card scheme and ensure they receive the necessary benefits. He stressed the importance of inter-departmental collaboration to strengthen and empower Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), making them more efficient and capable. He also directed that PACS members should be given priority in the convergence and implementation of various government schemes.
The year 2025 has been declared as the International Year of Cooperatives by the United Nations, following the initiative of the Government of India. The theme for the year, "Cooperatives Build a Better World," underscores the strength and relevance of the cooperative model in addressing global challenges. It also highlights the vital role cooperatives play in advancing efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.