Dehradun, September 21
Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, from his residence, virtually addressed the inaugural session of the Shri Laxmanrao Inamdar Second Cooperative Leadership Training Program organized by Sahakar Bharati Uttarakhand at Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar.
Paying tribute to Sahakar Bharati’s founder, the revered Laxmanrao Inamdar, on his birth anniversary, the Chief Minister said that strengthening cooperatives is vital for empowering the rural economy, and such training programs play an important role in this direction. He remarked: “Strong leadership will strengthen M-PAXs, strong M-PAXs will strengthen villages, and strong villages will make Uttarakhand prosperous.”
Paying tribute to Sahakar Bharati’s founder, the revered Laxmanrao Inamdar, on his birth anniversary, the Chief Minister said that strengthening cooperatives is vital for empowering the rural economy, and such training programs play an important role in this direction. He remarked: “Strong leadership will strengthen M-PAXs, strong M-PAXs will strengthen villages, and strong villages will make Uttarakhand prosperous.”
He noted that several important initiatives have been launched from Pantnagar’s land of knowledge to give new direction to cooperatives: the release of the Sahakar Granth, the establishment of Devbhoomi Sarathi State Cooperative Federation, the introduction of new courses in the cooperative sector, a social media reels campaign to connect youth with cooperatives, and the launch of M-PAX leadership training programs. These, he said, will infuse new energy into the cooperative movement.
The Chief Minister stated that the government’s goal is to advance Uttarakhand rapidly toward prosperity through cooperatives. In a hill state like Uttarakhand, cooperatives can be an effective solution to many challenges—preventing migration, strengthening mountain agriculture, providing markets for local products, and empowering the rural economy.
He explained that PACS are the foundation of the cooperative system in the state. To meet changing needs, they are being transformed into M-PAXs, making them more capable and effective. Through M-PAXs, the government is working to provide better facilities to farmers, create new opportunities for youth, and strengthen rural areas economically.
He stressed that effective M-PAXs require skilled and visionary leadership, which is why this leadership training program has been initiated. Training, he said, is not just about increasing knowledge but also about providing new thinking, perspective, and direction to leadership.
The Chief Minister reiterated that connecting farmers, youth, and women with cooperatives is a government priority. The aim is to make cooperatives not just limited to committees but a powerful medium of public participation and economic empowerment, ensuring benefits reach the last person in the village and everyone becomes part of the development process.
He called upon participants to strengthen the spirit of cooperation in their respective areas and involve more people in it. He said that by making cooperatives a people’s power, villages can be strengthened, opportunities can be created for youth, and farmers’ economic strength can be enhanced.
On this occasion, Cabinet Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat, Vice-Chancellor of Pantnagar University Shivendra Kumar Kashyap, Sahakar Bharati’s National General Secretary Deepak Chaurasia, State President Vinod Kumar Gaur, Organization Minister Maniram Nautiyal, State Treasurer Sudhir Kumar Joshi, along with Dr. Brijesh and Dr. Dinesh Kumar Singh, joined virtually.