As part of the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 celebration, a two-day national conference on the theme “Building a Viksit Bharat: Transforming Rural Economies through Cooperation, Farmer Empowerment and Growth” has commenced at the Regional Institute of Cooperative Management (RICM) in Chandigarh.
The event was inaugurated by Krishan Pal Gurjar, Union Minister of State for Cooperation along with Arvind Kumar Sharma, Haryana’s Cooperation Minister.
The conference focuses on empowering rural communities, strengthening farmer livelihoods, and promoting sustainable development through cooperatives. It brings together key government officials, cooperative society members, and farmers from Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi, Chandigarh, and Jammu & Kashmir.
“Meri Samiti Mera Patal” portal launched
One of the major highlights of the event was the launch of the “Meri Samiti Mera Patal” digital portal. Designed to support cooperative societies, the portal will help improve communication, encourage digitisation, and make it easier for societies to adopt modern technology.
The platform will also help in addressing challenges related to recognition, transparency, and planning for the future.
“In this digital era, cooperatives must also benefit from technology to reach their full potential,” said Krishan Pal Gurjar. He added that cooperatives are expected to contribute $1 trillion to India’s GDP over the next five years.
Encouraging Youth Participation in Cooperatives
Haryana’s Cooperation Minister Arvind Kumar Sharma encouraged the audience to spread awareness about cooperative societies and their role in nation-building. He said the government is working to make cooperatives stronger and wants more youth to get involved through self-help groups and multi-purpose societies.
New Educational Program and Research Initiatives
During the event, RICM also launched a new Post Graduate Diploma in Management – Agri Business Management (PGDM-ABM). The programme, approved by AICTE, aims to promote higher education and professional skills in agriculture and cooperative sectors. It will later be offered through the proposed Tribhuvan Cooperative University.
The institute also released its annual journal “Sahkarita Anusandhan”, which will focus on research in cooperation and rural development. Additionally, RICM unveiled its annual report “Samvet” and the Training Calendar for 2025–26.
Call for Innovation and Collaboration
Dr. Rajiv Kumar, Director of RICM, emphasised that the goal of the conference is to find real solutions to strengthen cooperative societies.
“This event is a golden opportunity for communication, innovation, and shared learning. Let us work together to build a strong and self-reliant India through cooperation,” he said.
