Gujarat: Amit Shah launches new dairy federation, salt co-operative
Speaking at an event in Anand to mark the completion of four years of the Ministry of Cooperation, Shah also announced the formation of Kutch District Salt Cooperative Society that will benefit the salt-producers, or Agariyas, as they are known in Gujarat.
The event, organised by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF), or Amul, as it is popularly known for the brand it markets, also marked the 150th birth anniversary year of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.
The multi-state Federation aims to establish a system of organised milk procurement, fair pricing and circular economy in the dairy sector.
'The Sardar Patel Cooperative Dairy Federation will work to complete a cycle of organised market, input services, fair purchase of milk, difference in price and circular economy in the dairy sector,' Shah said, adding that on the lines of Amul, it will benefit the farmers of the country.
Shah also virtually inaugurated the expansion of Dr Verghese Kurien cheese plant in Kheda and chocolate plant in Mogar, projects worth ₹365 crore. He inaugurated the new office building of the National Cooperative Dairy Federation of India (NCDFI) named Maniben Patel Bhawan, located in the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) complex in Anand, and dedicated the Ready-to-Use Culture (RUC) Plant of NDDB built at a cost of ₹45 crore.
He also laid the foundation stone for the new NDDB headquarters building.
During his address, Shah said the Ministry of Cooperation, created four years ago, has undertaken over 60 initiatives focused on people, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), digital platforms, policy reforms and prosperity. He said that cooperation has existed in Indian society since the Vedic period and Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave it legislative backing by creating the ministry, which has given new life to more than 8.4 lakh cooperative societies involving about 31 crore people.
Shah said that the upcoming Tribhuvan Sahkari University has recently been established in the name of Tribhuvan Das Patel and that 2 lakh new PACS, a National Cooperative Database and six new national level cooperative bodies are being set up—three related to grain and three to dairy.
He also said that the Kutch District Salt Cooperative Society, launched on Sunday, will benefit salt workers and grow into a strong cooperative movement, and added that profits from salt production will now go to those who work in the fields.
Gujarat accounts for more than 70% of India's salt production, with nearly 30% coming from the Little Rann of Kutch.
Shah also called for cooperative institutions to focus on transparency, technology adoption and member-centric practices. He said that without these, cooperative models cannot survive in a competitive environment and urged leaders to make these values part of the work culture during the International Year of Cooperatives.
He paid tribute to Dr. Shyama Prasad Mookerjee on his birth anniversary, saying Mookerjee sacrificed his life for Kashmir and made West Bengal part of India. 'He gave the slogan that 'Two prime ministers, two Constitutions and two flags would not be acceptable in the country',' said Shah.
Talking about the milk co-operative model, he said that 36 lakh women work hard every day in Gujarat and 20 lakh women in other parts of the country. 'The annual turnover of Amul is ₹80,000 crore and it will cross ₹1 lakh crore next year. The profits from this are going directly into the accounts of these 56 lakh sisters. Prosperity is not of an individual but of the entire society, affluence is not of a few rich people but of the poor, labourers and farmers,' Shah said adding that the initiatives have been taken by Prime Minister Modi bearing this in mind.
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