Cooperative societies key to rural economic development, says MLA

Cooperative societies play a vital role in strengthening rural economies and fostering balanced economic development in both rural and urban areas, said local MLA Sunder Singh Thakur at Rath Maidan here on Thursday. He presided over the 72nd District-Level Cooperative Ceremony held as part of All India Cooperative Week.

In his keynote address, the MLA noted that this year also marks the International Year of Cooperatives, which further underlines the importance of cooperative institutions in enhancing the rural economic framework of Himachal Pradesh, particularly in Kullu district. He praised the strong foundation of the cooperative movement in the region and highlighted the need to expand it further to involve more youth, enabling them to achieve greater financial independence.

Thakur also acknowledged a significant step by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, who recently increased milk procurement prices. He said this decision has immensely benefited dairy farmers and milk producers, simultaneously encouraging cattle rearing as well as natural and sustainable farming practices.

The MLA instructed officials of the Cooperative Department to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening cooperative societies in the district. He assured representatives of various cooperatives that their concerns would be raised before the government. He also announced that financial provisions would be made for the construction of a District Cooperative Bhawan in Kullu.

MilkFed Chairman Buddhi Singh Thakur shared that the process of identifying land for establishing a milk processing plant in Kullu is underway. He said the government is committed to integrating every village into the cooperative framework to ensure economic uplift, especially for women in rural households.

District Cooperative Union president Anil Sood welcomed the chief guest and other dignitaries and briefed them on the various activities being undertaken by cooperative societies in the district.

Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Dinesh Sen, also addressed the gathering, highlighting the department’s initiatives and future plans.

The event was attended by Zila Parishad chairman Pankaj Parmar, member Asha Thakur, representatives from HIMCOFED and several other distinguished guests, reflecting the strong and growing momentum of the cooperative movement in Kullu district.