Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a public rally in Shirdi after attending the 123rd birth anniversary celebrations of Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil.emphasized that all aspects of India’s economic development can not be achieved without cooperative institutions.
Speaking on the contribution of Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil ji to society, Singh said, “Patil Ji worked not only in cooperation but also in the field of education and medicine at the grassroots level During the freedom struggle, many great Indian leaders like Mahatma Gandhi realized that the illiteracy prevalent in India was hindering the activism of the freedom movement. Then Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil ji lit the flame of education to awaken the rural people.”
Cooperatives are mentioned not only in the provisions of the Constitution but also under the leadership of the Prime Minister, as a separate Ministry of Cooperatives has also been formed to promote the cooperative movement. But when the co-operative movement started, people raised several questions claiming farmers are not literate and there is no scope for such initiatives, he said.
“We Indians not only faced those challenges boldly but also achieved success in overcoming them. It is the result of the efforts of all of us Indians that today, the cooperative movement has emerged so successfully. Today Maharashtra is counted among the top sugar-producing states of the country, and if today the farmers of Maharashtra are so prosperous, then the cooperative societies here have a huge contribution in it,” he said.
The Minister further said that not only in Maharashtra, but the cooperative movement opened many avenues for the prosperity of farmers in the entire country.
“Many cooperative committees like National Cooperative Development Corporation, NAFED, IFFCO, and AMUL have played a very important role in the social and economic development of farmers. Government societies have not limited themselves only to the agricultural sector but are also expanding their presence in the banking sector. Many cooperative banks across India are today giving loans to their members at low-interest rates for agricultural purposes and for setting up small industries,” he said.
He further mentioned that the government is promoting the establishment of FPOs. “The government is promoting the establishment of FPOs, that is Farmer Producers Organization. In this, farmers will work as an organization from the sowing of the crop to the export of the crop, which will not only ensure a good harvest but will also increase their bargaining power at the time of export of the crop. It will play an important role in the development of farmers,” he said.
“All the aspects of India’s economic development cannot be completed without cooperative institutions. Cooperation will lead India towards economic prosperity, and I think Maharashtra’s contribution is going to be maximum in this context. Maharashtra will continue to act as a ‘growth pole’ in the journey of India’s development,” Singh added.
Earlier, in the day, he offered prayers at Shirdi temple along with Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
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