‘Cooperation to Prosperity’ through Integration of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, & Cooperatives

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah today addressed the cooperative conference on “The Role of Cooperation in Sustainable Agriculture,” organized by Krishak Bharti Cooperative Limited (KRIBHCO) in Panchkula, Haryana. Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, Union Minister of State for Cooperation Krishna Pal Gurjar, and Union Cooperation Secretary Dr. Ashish Bhutani, along with several dignitaries, were present at the event. Addressing the conference, Union Minister Amit Shah highlighted that Haryana, a state rich in history, religion, spirituality, and traditions, is gradually creating new dimensions of farmers’ prosperity through the cooperation of agriculture and cooperatives. He mentioned that on the occasion of the International Year of Cooperatives, KRIBHCO launched several initiatives including the Milk Chilling Center, HAFED’s flour mill, the RuPay Platinum Card, the registration of Model PACS (Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies), and the Cooperative Year Portal, which will provide cooperative-related information to farmers across the country. Amit Shah noted that about 70 percent of the country’s population resides in rural areas, with a large portion of them directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture, farming, and animal husbandry. He stated that if agriculture and animal husbandry are seen as independent businesses, they provide employment to many people. In fact, Shah emphasized, agriculture and animal husbandry are the two sectors that generate the most employment in India. When these sectors are integrated with cooperatives, they not only provide jobs but also contribute significantly to making people prosperous. He also gave the example of Amulin Gujarat, which annually distributes nearly ₹90,000 crore to 36 lakh female milk producers. He explained that if this same milk were sold at market prices, it would only generate ₹12,000 crore. “The difference between ₹12,000 crore and ₹90,000 crore is the power of cooperatives,” said Shah. He added that agriculture, animal husbandry, and cooperatives together create prosperity through cooperation, a vision Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought to life by establishing the Ministry of Cooperation, aligning prosperity with employment. Amit Shah emphasized that after the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation, the approach has shifted from seeing agriculture and animal husbandry solely as sources of employment to also including prosperity. He praised the government’s focus on enhancing agriculture through reduced water usage, fewer chemicals, and lower risks, which forms the foundation of the new agricultural policy. He discussed methods such as scientific irrigation, organic farming, and soil health testing, all aimed at improving farmer income while reducing dependence on subsidies.