Cooperatives have potential to create jobs in rural areas, says Singh

New Delhi: The Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister, Radha Mohan Singh has said that cooperatives can play a paramount role in creating employment opportunities in rural areas at a conference of the 12th International Cooperative Alliance (ICA), Asia Pacific Regional Assembly and 9th Cooperative Forum here on Thursday.

The cooperatives related to dairy sector have made the country self dependent by realizing “White Revolution”. Housing cooperatives have provided facilities of accommodation to the weaker section of the society at reasonable price.

Dairy cooperators have proved this while creating employment opportunities in plenty. Minister further said that government has put a strong thrust on the creation of employment opportunities related to skills. As nearly 65% population of the country is below 38.

Cooperatives are working in the regime of fertilizers delivery, sugar production, hand-looms as well as retail sector. This sector imparts self employment to 17.80 million people and cooperatives related to fisheries, labor, hand-looms and gender cooperatives have played very important role in bringing improvement in social economic condition of the weaker sections of the society, he added.

Government of India has launched a number of schemes of paramount importance under the guidance of PM, Narendra Modi.

Singh said that cooperatives can play a vital role in implementing schemes such as Toilets in Schools, Jan Dhan Yojna, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna, Make in India, Soil Health Card because it has a large network spread in the remotest areas as well as in villages.

Cooperatives have made themselves prominent in every walk of life and through the vast network of cooperatives, about 100 million people have benefited with opportunities of employment throughout the world.