Odisha Launches International Year of Cooperatives 2025 with Focus on Rural Reach and Economic Collaboration
Bhubaneswar: Odisha marked the beginning of the United Nations-declared International Year of Cooperatives 2025 with a grand inaugural ceremony at Swosti Hotel, Bhubaneswar.
Cooperation, Handlooms, Handicrafts & Textiles Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta inaugurated the event, stressing the importance of extending cooperative benefits to every rural household for true success.
The Minister highlighted the state government’s commitment to building a robust cooperative ecosystem aligned with national directives.
He emphasised strengthening linkages across agriculture, banking, marketing, consumer services, fisheries, handlooms, and handicrafts.
Key priorities include restructuring primary cooperative societies, expanding business opportunities, ensuring financial inclusion, and facilitating grain storage and marketing for farmers.
A major policy decision announced was the establishment of one Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society (PACS) in every panchayat, aimed at deepening grassroots participation.
The event featured four panel discussions on agricultural diversification, inter-sectoral cooperation, grain storage schemes, and fertiliser distribution through MARKFED and cooperatives.
Senior officials from the Union Ministry of Cooperation, NABARD, FCI, and Gujarat Banaskantha Dairy joined Odisha’s leadership to deliberate on strengthening cooperative institutions.
Outstanding cooperatives were felicitated for their contributions. Lathikata PACS (Sundargarh) and Shadangi PACS (Dhenkanal) were recognised for excellence in Jan Aushadhi Kendras and agricultural service centres.
Boden PACS and Nuapada Sub-Registrar of Cooperative Societies were honoured for public service initiatives.
Sarat Agricultural Cooperative Society (Khordha), Shri Jagannath Cooperative Society, and Akhandashwar Cooperative Society (Cuttack) secured top ranks in business diversification.
The celebrations, aligned with the global theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World, underscored the role of cooperatives in sustainable rural development and inclusive growth.
