Cooperative Database Ready, Tribhuvan Sahkari University Bill Soon: Shah

New Delhi, Feb 12 (PTI) The National Cooperative Database is almost complete and information about cooperative societies is available at one click, Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has said.

Chairing the first meeting of the Parliamentary Consultative Committee of the Ministry of Cooperation on Tuesday, Shah said a bill to establish Tribhuvan Sahkari University will be passed by Parliament soon.

He said the government's endeavour is to ensure the cooperative sector gets the same opportunities as the corporate sector.

"In view of the regional disparity in the development of cooperatives in the country, the government is taking special steps to bring uniform balanced development in all the states," Shah said.

Highlighting the importance of trained manpower in the cooperation sector, Shah said his ministry has introduced a bill for the establishment of the Tribhuvan Sahkari University and "it will be passed by Parliament soon".

The establishment of this university will provide technical education, accounting, administrative knowledge, and training to professionals entering the cooperative sector.

Shah added that this will ensure the availability of trained manpower in the cooperative sector, an official statement said.

The minister further informed the committee that a roadmap has been prepared for the rapid development of national federations associated with cooperation, in collaboration with Krishak Bharati Cooperative Ltd (KRIBHCO), Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO), National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) and other federations.

The cooperation ministry in collaboration with its finance counterpart, the Reserve Bank, and Income Tax Department has taken steps to make "one tax structure for the corporate and cooperative sectors", he said.

National-level cooperative organisations such as National Cooperative Exports Ltd (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Ltd (NCOL), and Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samriti Ltd (BBSSL) have been established to promote exports, organic products, and advanced seeds in the cooperative sector.

He added that these initiatives will lead to significant changes in the cooperative sector in the coming years.

Shah said the model bylaws, created to make Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) 'viable', have been adopted by almost all states in the country.

PACS have been linked to more than 20 activities and have now started providing services such as Common Service Centres, Jan Aushadhi Kendras, and other services.

"The Modi government believes that both employment generation and prosperity of rural areas are possible through cooperation," he said.

He expressed confidence that the enterprises associated with the country's cooperative sector will progress in competition with the corporate world and will fulfil Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi".

The committee discussed various issues related to the initiatives taken by the Ministry of Cooperation since its establishment and the current efforts being made to empower cooperative societies.

Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal and Cooperation Secretary Murlidhar Mohol and senior officers of the ministry were present in the meeting.