Odisha Govt Explores New Opportunities In Cooperative Sector

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has initiated the process for exploring new opportunities in cooperative sector for generation of new employment opportunities and for fetching more income to the producers.

This was discussed at a meeting on the Integrated Cooperative Development Programme ( ICDP) was held at the State Secretariat here on Tuesday.

Presiding over the meeting, Chief Secretary Aditya Prasad Padhi directed various departments to make assessment of the growth potential through cooperative structures.

Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan advised the departments to make a realistic assessment and visualize concrete projects with resource requirement.

The meeting deliberated on flourishing of cooperative activities in the sectors and trades like Odisha’s regional cuisine, micro irrigation, truck-mounted processing facilities at farm gates within easy reach of the farmers, agro forestry, organic vegetables, inland and coastal fishery, fish marketing, salt production, dairy, paddy procurement & processing, animal husbandry, hospitality and tourism. It was decided that the department of Cooperation would carry forward ICDP initiatives as the nodal department.

Briefing media persons after the meeting, Managing Director of National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) Sandeep Kumar Nayak said the recent trend of development in Odisha has created great potential for productive and marketing activities through cooperative societies.

“The NCDC has proposed to participate in this endeavor of the state government which has initiated steps in this direction. We can provide loan financial assistance in shape of loan to State Government and public sector owned marketing federations for these activities,” Nayak added.

Agriculture Production Commissioner Gagan Kumar Dhal, Principal Secretary, Cooperation, Ranjana Chopra, Principal Secretary, Tourism Mona Sharma, Secretary, Fisheries & Animal Resource Development Sri Vishal Gagan, Secretary, Textiles & Handloom Subha Sharma, Secretary, Women & Child Development Chitra Arumugam and senior NCDC officials were present at the meeting.