New Delhi, Sep 8 (PTI) Cooperation minister Amit Shah on Thursday exhorted states to adopt uniform policy and tread the same path to ensure all-round development of the cooperative sector in the country.

Addressing a National Conference of State Cooperation Ministers, he said there is a need for evolving a new cooperative policy to ensure that all states including big and small see equal development of the sector so that it can contribute significantly in making India a USD 5 trillion economy.

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Cooperation ministers of 21 states and Lt Governors of 2 Union Territories were present in the conference, according to an official statement.

Shah also announced that within the next two months a multi-state co-operative for seed production will be formed for conserving our existing varieties and developing new ones. To certify organic products and market them in India and overseas markets, he said a multi-state cooperative will be set up under the leadership of Amul.

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The minister said an export house is being set up by Amul, IFFCO, NAFED, NCDC and Kribhco which will export khadi products, handicrafts and agriculture products to the world market.

"When we have come here to discuss plans for the cooperative sector for the next 10 years, we have to bring uniformity in our policy. The cooperative department of every state must tread the same path and same subject. Even though their thrust areas may be different, the path for moving forward must be the same. It is important that the movement must move forward in uniform manner...," Shah said in a tweet.

The minister pointed out that cooperative movement is strong in West and South India, but in developing stage in north and central India while under developed in east and north-eastern states. The cooperative sector has not been developed in a uniform manner in our country.

"Our endeavour should be such that the cooperative movement must move together uniformally," he said.

In those states where the cooperative activities have stopped or slowed down, the effort should be to accelerate.

"To accomplish this, we need a new cooperative policy. The policy which can bring about even development in every big and small states and union territories to ensure all-round development and identifying new areas," Shah said.

Earlier this week, the government announced the constitution of a 47-member committee, headed by former union cabinet minister Suresh Prabhu, to draft a new national cooperation policy document that will promote a cooperative-based economic development model.

The new National Cooperative Policy is being formulated to realise the vision of 'Sahakar Se Samriddhi'.

"All the states will have to work together in the spirit of Team India for the development of the cooperative sector. Our target should be that in 100 years, cooperatives become a strong pillar of the country's economy," Shah said, adding that cooperatives should play a major role in taking the country's economy to USD 5 trillion.

He highlighted the steps taken by the ministry for the growth of the cooperative sector.

Shah said the number of PACS (Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies) will be increased to three lakhs in five years besides creation of a national database of the cooperative sector.

For seed production, Shah said a multi-state co-operative will be formed which will conduct R&D, conserve our existing varieties and develop new ones. Four-five big co-operative organisations will be roped in to set up this multi-state co-operative.

To certify organic products and market them in India and overseas markets, he said a multi-state cooperative will be set up under the leadership of Amul. The multi-state cooperatives for seed and organic products will be established in the next two months. For the development of Indian economy, Shah said not only mass production is necessary, but production by masses is also necessary. "This can be possible only through the cooperative model."

At present, there are about 8.5 lakh cooperative units in different parts of the country. Out of these, cooperatives have contributed a lot in all areas related to agriculture finance distribution and agriculture. There are 1.5 lakh dairy and housing societies, 97,000 PACS and 46,000 honey cooperative societies, 26,000 consumer societies, many fisheries cooperatives and many cooperative sugar mills.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)