Cooperative Reforms at Sahkar Samvad

On the occasion of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah held a significant dialogue, titled ‘Sahkar Samvad’, with women cooperative workers from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan in Ahmedabad. This event aimed to amplify grassroots voices and promote the transformative role of cooperatives in empowering rural communities, especially women.

In his address, Shri Amit Shah emphasized the visionary role of Tribhuvandas Patel, the pioneer of India’s cooperative movement. To honor his contributions, the foundation stone of the “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University has been laid in Anand district, Gujarat. The university will serve as a hub for nurturing young professionals in the cooperative sector. Tribhuvandas Patel, known as the founding force behind Amul, revolutionized dairy cooperatives, enabling over 36 lakh women to conduct dairy business worth ₹80,000 crore annually. Shri Shah noted that despite his monumental work, Patel remained humble, working silently for societal upliftment without seeking personal recognition. In a fitting tribute, the new university bears his name, acknowledging his rightful place in India’s cooperative legacy.

Highlighting ongoing reforms, the Minister detailed the government’s efforts in the dairy cooperative sector, including dung management, animal health and nutrition, and innovative income-generation practices using cow dung. He announced that in the next few years, cooperative dairies would produce organic manure and biogas from dung and that these practices would be implemented across the country through shared learnings and institutional planning. In villages with 500 dairy-producing families, the goal is to integrate at least 400 of them into cooperatives, also bringing vaccination and dung collection under cooperative management. These initiatives will take concrete shape within the next six months and will be operational through cooperative institutions.

Shri Shah also spoke of how Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), the grassroots arms of cooperatives, are being revitalized. After recent bylaw amendments, PACS have now been connected with Common Service Centres (CSC), Micro ATMs, Bank Mitras, and schemes like Har Ghar Nal (tap water in every household). These integrations open 25+ new revenue-generating activities for PACS. Further, PACS offering Jan Aushadhi Kendra services (public medicine centers) are being urged to raise awareness about the availability of affordable generic medicines, ensuring access to essential drugs in rural areas at rates significantly lower than the market.

Touching on agricultural schemes, Shri Shah encouraged maize and pulses farmers to register on the NCCF app (National Cooperative Consumers’ Federation). This digital platform facilitates crop purchases at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through NABARD and NCCF. If better market rates are available, farmers retain the option to sell in open markets, ensuring flexibility and fair pricing.

A major focus of the dialogue was natural farming, a method of cultivating without chemical fertilizers or pesticides. Shri Shah called it a scientific practice beneficial to both human health and the environment. Sharing personal experience, he revealed that his own yield increased by 1.5 times after switching to natural farming. He explained how earthworms in natural farming perform the nutrient-enriching role otherwise done by urea, DAP, and MPK (common chemical fertilizers). This method conserves soil, saves water, and improves overall health. To support this initiative, the Ministry has set up a national cooperative institution for buying natural farm produce and a separate cooperative body for exports, with profits directly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts.

In a heartfelt remark, Shri Shah said that while holding the Home Ministry, a post once held by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, is a matter of pride, he considers the Ministry of Cooperation even greater, as it directly impacts the lives of poor, farmers, villagers, and livestock. He announced plans to conduct 10 Chaupals (village-level dialogues) across three states each, aiming to incorporate grassroots suggestions into policy.

Gujarat-Rajasthan to collect camel milk for medicinal use

He also spoke about ongoing research into the medicinal properties of camel milk, with the governments of Rajasthan and Gujarat collaborating to launch a scheme that ensures higher income for camel rearers. By tapping into the health value of camel milk, the initiative also aims to aid camel breed conservation.

Concluding the session, Shri Amit Shah urged cooperative leaders, especially in dairy, to display portraits of Tribhuvandas Patel in their offices, inspiring new generations with the story of a man whose silent revolution transformed millions of lives.

International Day of Cooperatives (CoopsDay) 2025

• On Saturday, 5 July 2025, communities across the globe will come together to celebrate the International Day of Cooperatives (CoopsDay) under the powerful theme: “Cooperatives: Driving Inclusive and Sustainable Solutions for a Better World.” This year’s observance carries special significance as it coincides with the United Nations International Year of Cooperatives (IYC2025)—a rare, once-in-a-decade opportunity to showcase the critical role cooperatives play in building fair, resilient, and people-centered societies.

• The theme resonates deeply at a time when the world is facing complex and interconnected challenges. Cooperatives—defined as member-owned and democratically run businesses—have consistently demonstrated that putting people, planet, and purpose before profit can lead to real, sustainable impact. From providing access to health care and housing to transforming sectors like agriculture, finance, and clean energy, co-ops are not just local initiatives—they are scalable, inclusive solutions that prioritize community well-being and long-term sustainability.

• CoopsDay 2025 is also strategically aligned with broader global efforts, including the UN High-Level Political Forum, which is currently reviewing key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the upcoming Second World Summit for Social Development. These major milestones reinforce the message that cooperatives are an integral part of the global movement for systemic and inclusive progress.

• The objectives of this year’s celebration are fourfold: to raise public awareness about how cooperatives contribute to sustainable development; to promote the growth and development of the cooperative sector by strengthening its entrepreneurial ecosystem; to advocate for supportive legal and policy frameworks that empower cooperatives globally; and to inspire a new generation of cooperative leaders, particularly by encouraging youth engagement and fostering purpose-driven leadership.

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