Assam: Kokrajhar observes 71st National Cooperative Week

OUR CORRESPONDENT

KOKRAJHAR: The department of Co-operation, BTC, in partnership with various co-operative societies, organized a day-long awareness meeting at Samabai Bhawan, Titaguri, in Kokrajhar to celebrate the 71st National Co-operative Week on Thursday.

The event, part of the nationwide observance from November 14 to November 20, aimed at highlighting the role of cooperatives in the nation's economic progress.

The meeting was graced by several dignitaries, including Biplob Dey, Under Secretary, BTC; Jaynal Hoque, OSD and Ex-CHD, Dairy Department, BTC; Dr. Binod Swargiary, HOD, Commerce Department, Kokrajhar Commerce College; Kuntal Purkayastha, DDM, NABARD; Binny Kumar, Manager of APEX Bank; and Jayshri Boro, Sahitya Akademi Awardee, along with board members from various co-operative societies.

The programme commenced with the hoisting of the Co-operative flag by Hemjit Mushahary, a senior member of the Kokrajhar District Co-operative Union, followed by an oath-taking ceremony to strengthen the co-operative movement in the Bodoland Territorial Region.

Jayanta Kherkatary, CHD Co-operation, opened the session with insights on central government initiatives, emphasizing their implementation in the region to benefit local co-operatives. Jaynal Hoque highlighted successful dairy co-operative models from Gujarat and encouraged BTR co-operatives to adopt similar strategies for diverse agricultural sectors to boost the local economy.

Dr. Binod Swargiary advised cooperatives to focus on leveraging their own shareholders as a market base, promoting a self-reliant economic ecosystem within the region. He stressed the importance of intra-society trade and mutual support to enhance financial stability.

Biplob Dey called for youth participation in cooperative activities, noting that combining youthful innovation with the experience of elders could lead to sustainable growth. Meanwhile, Kuntal Purkayastha and Binny Kumar spoke about financial schemes and subsidies available for cooperatives, urging societies to focus on region-specific crops and submit business development plans for financial assistance from APEX Bank.

The meeting concluded with Jayshri Boro appreciating the resilience of women in the region and encouraging the formation of more women-led cooperatives, particularly in sectors like handloom, to explore broader economic opportunities.

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