Gandhinagar, Feb 17 Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday chaired a high-level ‘Manthan Meeting’ with Cooperation Ministers from all States and Union Territories, outlining an ambitious roadmap to strengthen India’s cooperative sector as a pillar of the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision.
Addressing the meeting under the theme ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’, Shah said the Modi government is advancing cooperatives through a scientific and structural approach, with visible results emerging across sectors. He emphasized that a fully developed India is not defined merely by economic growth but by ensuring dignity and opportunity for 140 crore citizens — a goal he said can be achieved through a strong cooperative movement.
3x Food Grain Storage Target
A key focus of the meeting was expanding India’s food grain storage capacity. Shah called for a threefold increase in storage infrastructure in the coming years, with two-thirds of the expansion to be led by cooperatives.
He said aligning procurement, storage and distribution — particularly in high-procurement states like Punjab and Haryana — could reduce transportation costs by up to 40 percent. A universally accessible storage network, he noted, can only be effectively built through cooperatives.
Revival of Sugar Mills, Diversification Push
Shah also urged States to restart closed cooperative sugar mills and diversify operations into ethanol, fertilizers and other value-added products. A national-level cooperative framework has been created to support restructuring and multi-product production.
During the event, projects worth ₹265 crore related to ethanol, renewable energy, organic inputs, warehouses and protein plants were inaugurated or had their foundation stones laid.
Strengthening Cooperative Banks
Under the ‘Sahkarita mein Sahkar’ initiative, Shah directed cooperative institutions to maintain accounts with District Cooperative Banks and called for their integration into Central Government scheme implementation, including fund routing under welfare programmes.
The meeting also reviewed progress on establishing two lakh new multipurpose PACS and strengthening national cooperative institutions such as National Cooperative Exports Limited, National Cooperative Organics Limited, and Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited.
Shah said in the coming years, more than 40 percent of India’s population could be linked to the cooperative sector, reinforcing its role in rural development, agriculture, and inclusive economic growth.
He added that Bharat Taxi services are also set to expand across Municipal Corporation cities, with over three lakh drivers already onboarded.
The Manthan Meeting concluded with a call for coordinated Centre–State efforts to position cooperatives at the core of India’s development strategy.
