Kolhapur (Maharashtra): The contribution of the cooperative sector in India's development is incomparable, President Droupadi Murmu said at a function here on Monday.
Addressing the golden jubilee celebrations of Shri Warna Women Cooperative Group in Warnanagar in the west Maharashtra city, the President said, "Trade and entrepreneurship have played a crucial role in economic development, but the role of the cooperative sector in the development of the country is incomparable."
The President said cooperation was the best medium to make good use of the strength inherent in society."Principles of cooperation follow the spirit of justice, unity, and fraternity envisaged in the Constitution. When people of different classes and ideologies unite for cooperation, they get the benefit of social diversity," she said.
Cooperatives have played an important role in the economic development of the country and household brands like Amul and Lijjat Papad are the examples of such cooperatives, Murmu added.
She said cooperative groups have made a significant contribution in making India the world's largest milk producer, adding that such cooperatives produce and distribute milk and milk products in almost all states. Not only milk, cooperative institutions are playing an important role in areas like fertilizer, cotton, handloom, housing, edible oil, and sugar, the President pointed out.
The President said cooperative institutions have made a significant contribution to poverty alleviation, food security, and management of natural resources.
"But in these rapidly changing times, they need to change themselves. They should use technology as much as possible and also make the management more professional," Murmu asserted.
Many cooperatives are facing problems like lack of capital and resources, governance and management, and low participation, and connecting more and more youth to them can be important in this direction, she said.
"Youth can transform those institutions by incorporating technology in governance and management," she said while advising cooperative institutions to explore new areas like organic farming, storage capacity building, and eco-tourism. The real secret of success of any enterprise is its association with the common people and that is why a democratic system and transparency are important for the success of cooperatives, the President said.
There should be real cooperation in cooperatives rather than anyone's monopoly, she added.
"In cooperative institutions, the interests of their members should be paramount. It should always be kept in mind that no cooperative institution should become a means of personal interest and profit-making for any individual. Otherwise, the very purpose of cooperative will be lost," Murmu said.
The President urged the gathering, comprising mostly women, to understand the importance of education, learn new technologies, give importance to environment conservation in daily life, help the needy, and always be ready to contribute to the development of the country. "Our individual and collective efforts will make India reach a higher position on the world stage," President Murmu said.
