To promote cooperative movement in the State, the State Government would start a week-long cooperative festival from November 20. The Minister of Cooperative Yashpal Arya said this while addressing a meeting of officers of his department at Vidhan Sabha on Monday.
The cooperative festival would be organised to mark the Interstate Cooperative week. Arya directed the officers to ensure participation of self help groups financed by the cooperative banks in the mountainous areas of the state in the festival.
He said that the products of the cooperative societies should be displayed during this festival. Arya said that cooperative groups operating in the fields of silk, weaving, milk and horticulture should participate in the festival. The cooperative banks would also showcase the information technology during the occasion.
The Minister said that representatives of the different Cooperatives should be included in the committees for hosting of the event so that maximum participation of the people is ensured. He suggested setting up of an advisory board for the event. Arya directed the Secretary Cooperative, V K Dhaundiyal to include the Presidents of district cooperative banks and cooperative organizations in the proposed advisory board.
It is worth mentioning here that interstate cooperative week is observed every year in the month of November during which exhibition of cooperative products is organised at various places. Seminars and cultural programmes too would be organised during the week long programme.
The meeting was attended by President of state cooperative association Pramod Kumar Singh, President District Cooperative Bank (DCB), Almora Prashant Baisoda, President of DCB Uttarkashi, R S Rawat, President DCB Chamoli, S S Negi, President DCB Tehri A S Negi, Director Uttarakhand Cooperative Council Anil Sen and secretary cooperative V K Dhaundiyal.