Bhubaneswar :A two day State level observance of 70th All India Co-op Week, 2023 has started from today. The day marked with a walkathon conducted at 6:30 P.M. from Master Canteen Chhak to OSCB, Head Office, P.J.N. Marg .
Sj. Atanu Sabyasachi Nayak, Hon’ble Minister Food Supplies and Consumer Welfare, Co-operation, Higher Education, Odisha. Inaugurated the the State level function at Utkal Mandap and addressed the august audience.
Sj. Ananta Narayan Jena, Hon’ble ML.A, Bhubaneswar (Central), Sj. Pradeep Kumar Jena, Chief Secretary-cum-Chief Development Commission, Govt. of Odisha Dr. Sudhashu K.K. Mishra, CGM, NABARD, Regional Office, Bhubaneswar and Dr. Umakanta Dash Director IRH Anand graced the occasion and addressed.
Functions has been held at Utkal Mandap, Bhubaneswar in the evening which has been presided over by Sri Aravind Agrawal, IAS commissioner-cum-Secretary, Co-operation Dept. Govt of Odisha and followed by colourful cultural programmes. Hon’ble Ministers and other guests visited the stalls displayed on achievements of cooperatives.
On this occasion, the Hon’ble Minister drew attention to the role of cooperatives in the rural economy. He highlighted how the implementation of various schemes of the government can be communicated to the people through cooperation. The Hon’ble Minister called for interest free agriculture loan scheme, free crop insurance registration and successful marketing of agricultural produce through co-operatives.
The keynote speaker, Chief Secretary Mr. Pradeep Kumar Jena, in his speech spoke about how the active and transparent involvement of cooperatives in the agricultural economy is important. The state government is providing financial support through various schemes to make the cooperatives more effective.
Commissioner-Cum-Secretary, Mr. Agrawal informed that about 32 lakh farmers in the state are being provided interest-free agricultural loans through cooperatives. On this occasion, he called upon the cooperatives to be more open, active and people-oriented.
At the end of the program, the Chief Guest awarded certificates and rewards to the successful contestants in various competitions and to the cooperative organizations that have performed well in the field of co-operatives.
At the end of the programme, Mr. Santosh Kumar Das, Special Secretary proposed a hearty vote of thanks.
