Centre to soon announce new cooperative policy: Amit Shah
What's the story
Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said the Centre will soon introduce a new cooperative policy and work in tandem with states to strengthen the cooperative movement.
Shah, who is also the Union Home Minister, also announced that the number of primary agriculture cooperatives (PACs) will be increased to three lakh in the next five years. At present, there are about 65,000 PACs.
Gathering
The Ministry of Cooperation was formed in July this year
He was speaking at the first Sehkarita Sammelan or National Cooperative Conference in Delhi. The Ministry of Cooperation was formed in July this year.
Addressing the gathering comprising over 2,100 representatives of different cooperatives and nearly six crore online participants, Shah said some people wonder why the Centre created this new ministry as the cooperatives are a state subject.
Cooperation
Will cooperate with states to take the movement forward: Shah
Shah said there could be a legal response to it, but he does not want to "get into this argument."
The Centre, he stressed, will cooperate with states, and "there will be no friction."
"We will work with all states to take forward the cooperative movement," he said and added the Ministry of Cooperation has been formed to strengthen and modernize the sector.
Development
Cooperatives can contribute to the development of the country: Shah
On the proposed new cooperative policy, Shah said a policy was brought in 2002 by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and now the Modi government will start working on a new policy.
Stressing that the cooperative movement was more relevant today than ever, Shah said cooperatives can contribute a lot to the development of the country.
Quote
Cooperatives will help in making India $5 trillion economy: Shah
"Cooperatives will play a crucial part in making India a $5 trillion economy," Shah said. Referring to problems being faced by cooperatives on taxation front and other issues, Shah said he was aware of concerns and assured that there would be no injustice toward them.