my uttarakhand news Bureau
Dehradun, 1 Jan: The year 2026 will be a milestone year for strengthening cooperatives in Uttarakhand and for realising the resolve of “Prosperity through Cooperation.” The state government is working on comprehensive and multi-dimensional action plans to make cooperation an effective means of economic empowerment for farmers, workers, cultivators, artisans, and youth. Under this initiative, concrete steps will be taken to establish cooperative societies at the Gram Sabha level, ensuring the inclusion of every section of society within the cooperative framework. With the expansion of cooperatives, farmers, cultivators, self-help groups, workers, and small entrepreneurs will gain better market access, thereby strengthening the rural economy and creating new employment opportunities at the local level.
To broaden the scope of cooperation in the state and connect the general public with the cooperative movement, a State Cooperative Policy will be formulated on the lines of the National Cooperative Policy–2025. This policy will ensure autonomy, transparency, and simplification of processes in cooperative societies. In addition, necessary amendments will be made to the Cooperative Societies Act–2003 and Rules–2004 to make the societies more transparent and capable.
With the objective of providing career and research opportunities to youth in the field of cooperation and enhancing public outreach, a Project Management Unit (PMU) will be established in Uttarakhand under the Tribhuvan Cooperative University set up by the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India.
Within three months, recruitment will be conducted through IBPS with complete transparency for a total of 177 vacant posts in Class–I, Class–II, and Class–III categories in State and District Cooperative Banks. In addition, the cadre rules will be amended for the appointment of PACS Secretaries, and 350 secretaries will be appointed shortly through a transparent written examination process.
Elections of cooperative societies under the Cooperation Department have been completed. As a result of the historic decision of 30 percent women’s representation by the state government, women’s participation in cooperative societies has been ensured on a large scale for the first time. Out of a total of 668 societies, women have been elected as chairpersons in more than 280 societies. Elections in central and apex cooperative institutions will also be completed soon.
Street vendors, daily wage workers, and small self-employed individuals in the state will be connected with cooperative banking, and new financial products will be developed for them. Easy loan facilities will be provided through cooperative banks and societies. For this purpose, departmental officers have been instructed to prepare concrete and time-bound action plans.
“The state government is firmly committed to making cooperation a strong medium for economic empowerment, employment generation, and inclusive development in Uttarakhand. For this, a concrete strategy and effective action plan are being prepared,” said Dr Dhan Singh Rawat, Minister of Cooperation, Uttarakhand.
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