In news– The government of India has announced the constitution of a 47-member committee, headed by former Union Cabinet Minister Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu, for drafting the National Cooperation Policy document.
Key updates-
- The new National Cooperative Policy is being formulated to realise the government’s vision of ‘Sahakar Se Samriddhi’.
- The constitution of the committee was announced by the Union Cooperation Minister.
- The Committee comprises experts of the cooperative sector; representatives of national/state/district and primary cooperative societies; secretaries (cooperation) and registrars of cooperative societies of states/UTs; and officers from central ministries / departments.
- The new National Cooperation Policy document is being formulated with a view to fulfil the mandate given to the new Ministry of Cooperation, which includes strengthening cooperative movement in the country and deepening its reach up to the grassroots, and promoting cooperative-based economic development model.
- The new policy will go a long way in strengthening the co-operative movement in the country.
- The existing National Policy on Cooperatives was formulated in 2002.
- India has about 8.5 lakh co-operative societies with a member base of around 29 crore.
- These co-operatives are engaged in varied activities like agro-processing, dairying, fisheries, housing, weaving, credit, and marketing, among others.
Note:
The existing National Policy on Cooperatives was formulated in 2002 with the objectives of facilitating all round development of cooperatives and providing necessary support, encouragement and assistance to them, so as to ensure that cooperatives work as autonomous, self-reliant and democratically managed institutions accountable to their members and make a significant contribution to the national economy.
Source: The Hindu
