During the fiscal year 2023-24, approximately 30 cooperative societies in Gujarat were engaged in raising awareness among stakeholders regarding new Ministry of Cooperation initiatives, according to a report by VAMNICOM on ‘UpScaling the Cooperatives in India.’ Established in 1948 in Mumbai and later relocated to Pune in 1967, VAMNICOM is a national institute operating under the National Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT) and supported by the Ministry of Cooperation. Recognizing the pivotal role of cooperatives in fostering a welfare state, the Government of India created a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation (MOC) on July 6, 2021, with the vision of achieving ‘Prosperity through cooperation.’
Since its inception, the Ministry of Cooperation has initiated numerous programs aimed at harnessing the cooperative model’s benefits across various sectors of the economy. The VAMNICOM report underscores the necessity of a structured approach to disseminate the ministry’s initiatives among cooperative society members nationwide, enabling them to capitalize on cooperatives’ potential for socioeconomic advancement. Aligned with the Ministry of Cooperation’s directives, VAMNICOM, Pune, conducted an extensive outreach program nationwide, involving key stakeholders from diverse cooperative sectors and encompassing all societal segments, including women and marginalized groups. Through awareness campaigns held across 15 states, a total of 10,583 individuals received training, with approximately 60% being male participants and 40% female participants.
In Gujarat, 30 cooperative societies were selected for awareness programs, reaching 1,646 participants, primarily focusing on the Dairy and PACS sectors. Of the 1,646 individuals trained (1,156 women and 490 men), 147 were from PACS, and 1,499 were from the dairy sector. The initiatives conducted in Gujarat encompassed areas such as ‘Diversification of the PACS: – Model Bye-Laws for Making PACS Multipurpose,’ ‘Strengthening of PACS through Computerization,’ ‘PACS as Common Service Centres (CSCs) for better access to eServices,’ ‘Formation of new Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by PACS,’ and ‘Rupay KisanCredit Card to Members of Milk Cooperatives.’ VAMNICOM’s outreach program extended across 15 states, including Jammu & Kashmir, Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.
