Ahmedabad, May 18: Union Home Minister and Gandhinagar Member of Parliament Amit Shah addressed the Gujarat State Cooperative Union's Summit in Ahmedabad on Sunday, where he emphasised the crucial role of cooperation in India’s development journey.

He highlighted the importance of both the "science of cooperation" and the "science in cooperation", underlining that cooperative synergy is essential for the sector’s growth.

HM Shah stressed that cooperation among cooperatives -- whether in dairy, banking, housing, or agriculture -- is vital for mutual benefit and progress. According to him, “to become a developed nation, a strong cooperative structure significantly contributes to national progress, and India must follow suit by integrating modern practices into its cooperative framework.”

In his address, the Home Minister pointed out that changes and technological advancements in the cooperative sector will only be meaningful when they reach the grassroots, particularly the farmers. "Until these innovations and systems benefit farmers directly, they cannot be considered truly effective," he stated.

He also called for greater transparency across cooperative institutions to ensure accountability and enhance trust among stakeholders. Transparency, he said, is not optional but necessary for the cooperative model to sustain and flourish.

Highlighting Gujarat as a testing ground for innovative cooperative models, HM Shah revealed that cooperatives in the state are being empowered to manufacture machinery and equipment for producing dairy products such as ice cream, paneer, and cheese. “Machines and equipment to make ice cream, cheese, paneer -- everything will be built within cooperatives. We are already trying it in Gujarat,” he shared, reflecting the government's push towards self-reliance through local production ecosystems.

The Union Minister further elaborated on the need for interlinking different sectors within the cooperative system. He emphasised that dairy cooperatives must coordinate with cooperative banks, and cooperative housing societies must engage with other cooperative institutions. This kind of integrated approach, he said, would lead to shared success and long-term sustainability.

Amit Shah also inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for various development projects across Gandhinagar city and district, worth more than Rs 708 crore. The Gandhinagar Municipal Corporation led the initiative with the inauguration of civic and infrastructure projects valued at Rs 200.94 crore, while new works amounting to Rs 352.76 crore had their foundation stones laid.

The Gandhinagar District Administration contributed projects worth Rs 45.70 crore, and the Gandhinagar Urban Development Authority (GUDA) initiated additional works valued at Rs 107.85 crore. Among the notable projects inaugurated were RCC and CC roads in the villages of Basan, Palaj, and Por, totalling Rs 8.91 crore. Primary Health Centres were inaugurated at Vavol and Pethapur for Rs 5.43 crore, and landscaping works along the CH-0 to GH-0 corridor were completed for Rs 4.68 crore.

The broader development package also included the installation of sewerage and drainage pipelines in areas like Borij and Kolavada, town planning development works amounting to Rs 75.08 crore, and the establishment of a Rs 30.97 crore sewage treatment plant at Bhat. Additionally, a new road underpass between Sectors 21 and 22 was initiated, with an investment of Rs 16.45 crore.

(IANS)

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