TURA: The 64th All India Cooperative Week Celebration under the theme, “Empowering People Through Digitalisation of Cooperatives” concluded on Monday here in Williamnagar at Williamnagar Goverment College playground where School Education and Literacy Minister, Deborah C Marak was the chief guest.
Closing the week-long celebrations, the minister urged the womenfolk to strengthen their cooperative societies by way of convergence. She also spoke at length about ways and means of nurturing the cooperative societies. Sharing the experiences of her travels in Europe, Deborah stressed on the need to improve the rural banking facilities in order to facilitate rural people and their cooperative societies.
She also highlighted how “Amul” an Indian dairy cooperative based at Anand in Gujarat has come a long way from a humble beginning with its founder Verghese Kurien.
The guest of honor, Denang T Sangma, former Chief Executive Member of Garo Hills Autonomous District Council (GHADC), urged the people to avail the opportunities being provided by the government under the cooperation department for uplifting the economy and the standard of living of their own.
East Garo Hills Deputy Commissioner, Ram Kumar, in his address said that cooperatives bring people together for uplifting the standard of living. He also said that there were inherent reasons for failure and success of cooperative societies and urged the officials of the Cooperation Department to go for in-depth studies in order to strengthen the Integrated Village Cooperative Societies.
Others who spoke on the occasion included Daniel J Ingty, Director of Meghalaya Basin Development Authority (MBDA), Garo Hills region and AC Lyngdoh, Area Manager, Meghalaya Cooperative Apex Bank (MCAB), Tura.
The closing ceremony-cum-mini exhibition, witnessed the participation of many entrepreneurs from all the districts of Garo Hills. The weeklong celebration was kicked off at Sajer Hall in Nongpoh, Ri-bhoi on November 14.
