Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], May 19 (ANI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday chaired a crucial review meeting of the Cooperation Department, emphasizing the need to provide easy and affordable loans to small and marginal farmers.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister stressed that prosperity will come through cooperation and called for a detailed action plan for the 'Mukhyamantri Krishak Samriddhi Yojana.' He directed the enhancement of loan distribution capacity of cooperative banks and modernization of their branches.

CM Yogi also urged to increase storage capacity and promote private investment, indicating significant reforms in the cooperative policy. Highlighting achievements, he said that in eight years, by 2025, cooperative banks' loan distribution crossed Rs 23,000 crore- a noteworthy milestone.

The digital transformation of MPACS committees is progressing rapidly, with computerization work ongoing for over 5,000 committees.

Further, the Chief Minister instructed that direct recruitment in the cooperative sector will be done through IBPS to improve services.

He also announced the construction of warehouses with a capacity of 500-1000 metric tons and preparations underway in 16 districts for the grain storage scheme.

CM Yogi Adityanath concluded, 'Through cooperation alone will the dream of a self-reliant farmer be realized.'

Meanwhile, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Sunday addressed the Maha Sammelan on the 'Role of Cooperatives in Building a Viksit Bharat' organised by Gujarat State Cooperative Federation in Ahmedabad.

Many dignitaries, including Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, were present on the occasion.

In his address, Shah said that the United Nations has decided to celebrate 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives. He said that the word cooperative is as relevant today for the whole world as it was in the year 1900, according to an official release from the Ministry of Cooperation.

Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a major effort to revive the cooperative movement in India began in 2021, and that is why the decision was made to launch the International Year of Cooperatives from India.

The Union Minister said that under the initiative started in 2021 under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, two guiding principles -- 'Sahkar se Samriddhi' and The Role of Cooperation in Viksit Bharat -- were presented to the nation. As part of that initiative, this cooperative conference is being organised in Gujarat.

He stated that the cooperative sector cannot be strengthened unless the benefits of the changes in this sector reach the grassroots level -- to Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and farmers.

Shah emphasized that this is why it is essential to promote cooperative institutions. We must strive to bring awareness, training, and transparency to all types of cooperative institutions.

The Union Minister of Cooperation said that during the International Cooperative Year, the Government of India has emphasized on 'Science of Cooperation' and 'Science in Cooperation'. He said that our cooperative movement which started in the country during the freedom movement had gradually declined and nearly disappeared in large parts of the country.

He said it is the responsibility of all to expand the cooperative movement to every state and district. Additionally, the condition of primary cooperative societies in every state should improve, district-level institutions should be strengthened, and through them, the cooperative framework at the state and national levels should also be reinforced.

Shah further stated that a fourth tier has been added to the long-standing global three-tier cooperative structure. He emphasized that it is essential to expand cooperation across the entire country by strengthening national institutions related to every cooperative activity, state-level cooperative institutions, district-level institutions, and primary cooperative societies in every sector. He said that we must utilize the International Year of Cooperatives to achieve this. (ANI)