Third national conference of Sahakar Bharati concluded in Bhopal on November 2. Over 2200 delegates, including 250 women, representing a cross section of the co-operative movement, attended the conference, that was inaugurated by RSS Akhil Bharatiya Pracharak Pramukh Shri Madan Das.
Shri Madan Das called upon the delegates to work for inclusion of all segments of the society for ensuring sustainable and equitable growth, necessary for India emerging as a strong and self-reliant nation.
President of NCUI Shri Ghanshyambhai Amin stressed the need to free the co-operatives from political and administrative interference and said the Union Government has assured to bring a Bill in the coming session of Parliament, ensuring autonomy and democratic functioning of the co-operatives.
‘Technology for renaissance of the co-operative movement’ was the theme of the conference. Shri Santosh Khanolkar, director of Microsoft, delivered the keynote address at the inaugural session. Representatives from HCL and CISCO, which supported the event, made presentations to make the co-operatives cost effective, competitive and profitable economic ventures so that the movement could fulfill its social responsibilities.
Felicitating the select 15 co-operatives for their exemplary work, Shri Dilipbhai Sanghani, Co-operation Minister of Gujarat, emphasised the need to showcase these co-operatives as role models for others to emulate their path breaking work. The open session, attended by over 7000 delegates, mainly represented the primary agricultural co-operatives (PACs) and dairy societies from all over Madhya Pradesh was addressed by Chief Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chauhan who announced a Vision Document for healthy and rapid growth of co-operatives societies in the state. Shri Suryakant Kelkar, who stepped down as national organising secretary of Sahakar Bharati after a long 10 years stint, called upon the delegates to work proudly and with total commitment for the poor.
Senior economist and Uttar Kshetra Sanghachalak of RSS Dr Bajranglal Gupt called upon the delegates to ceaselessly work with cool heads and determined hearts, as the task of bringing about a renaissance in the co-operative movement is daunting and is full of hardships due to vested interests. On the first day, Shri Satish Marathe of Mumbai and Shri Subhash Mandge of Indore were unanimously elected national president and general secretary of the Sahakar Bharati respectively for a period of three years.
(FOC)
