Jammu : Department of Cooperative Societies Jammu Monday organized the National Cooperative Mahotsav as the theme of the seventh and concluding day of the Cooperative Week Celebrations at Kisan Kendra Directorate of Agriculture Jammu. The event brought together officers of the Cooperative Department, representatives of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Cooperative Federations, dairy cooperatives and other stakeholders to celebrate the achievements of the cooperative movement and reaffirm their commitment to the vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi.”
Additional Registrar Cooperative Societies Jammu Bal Krishan graced the occasion as the chief guest, while Director Agriculture Jammu Anil Gupta was the guest of honour.
Other dignitaries present included Joint Registrar Cooperative Societies and Nodal Officer for Cooperative Week in the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir; Preeti Sharma, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies Jammu Bhawani Atri; Chairman, Jammu & Kashmir Dairy Cooperative Federation (JKDCF) Vikrant Dogra and Managing Director Jammu & Kashmir Milk Producers’ Cooperative Limited (JKMPCL) Mushtaq Ahmed.
Welcoming the dignitaries and participants, Preeti Sharma highlighted the significance of the National Cooperative Mahotsav as the culmination of the week-long celebrations. She emphasized that cooperatives have emerged as a powerful instrument for empowering farmers, women and rural communities through collective action, capacity building and sustainable development.
Bal Krishan congratulated the Department for the successful organization of the Cooperative Week and appreciated the enthusiastic participation of cooperative institutions and stakeholders throughout the week. He emphasized that cooperatives are vital for strengthening the rural economy and called upon all stakeholders to adopt innovation, transparency and professional management to build strong and self-reliant cooperative institutions.
Anil Gupta highlighted the close linkage between agriculture and the cooperative sector. He stressed the importance of coordinated efforts among government departments, PACS, FPOs and cooperative institutions to enhance farmers’ income, promote value addition and ensure sustainable agricultural development.
The programme featured technical sessions and interactive discussions on strengthening PACS, FPOs, dairy cooperatives and cooperative federations, with emphasis on capacity building, market linkages, value addition, digital transformation and good governance.
A major highlight of the event was the felicitation of outstanding cooperative societies and stakeholders for their exemplary contribution to the cooperative movement. Their achievements were acknowledged for inspiring others to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem in Jammu & Kashmir.
Representatives of PACS, FPOs, Cooperative Federations, dairy cooperatives and various cooperative institutions actively participated in the programme and shared their experiences on leveraging the cooperative model for inclusive growth and rural prosperity. A representative of IFFCO emphasized reducing the use of conventional fertilizers and encouraged farmers to adopt innovative fertilizers for higher productivity and better soil health.
The National Cooperative Mahotsav marked the successful conclusion of the seven-day Cooperative Week Celebrations, during which a series of seminars, awareness programmes, exhibitions, plantation drives, health initiatives, training programmes and stakeholder interactions were organized across Jammu Division to promote cooperative values and strengthen grassroots institutions.
The programme concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies Jammu expressing gratitude to the chief guest, guest of honour, distinguished dignitaries, participating departments, partner organizations, media representatives and all stakeholders for their valuable support in making the Cooperative Week celebrations a grand success.
The Department of Cooperative Societies reiterated its commitment to further strengthening the cooperative movement in Jammu & Kashmir through continuous capacity building, institutional reforms and collaborative initiatives for the socio-economic empowerment of farmers, women, youth and rural communities.
