Gandhinagar: In a strategic move to position Gujarat as a global model of cooperative excellence, Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel chaired a high-level meeting to review and plan the statewide celebration of the International Cooperative Year – 2025. Inspired by the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the pioneering leadership of Union Minister for Cooperation and Home Affairs Amit Shah, the state is preparing a year-long calendar of events highlighting the importance of cooperatives in socio-economic development.
Gujarat as a Global Cooperative Model
During the meeting, the Chief Minister stressed that Gujarat, the birthplace of India’s cooperative revolution, has a unique opportunity to demonstrate how cooperative institutions can drive rural empowerment and sustainable development. He emphasized organizing inclusive events that ensure mass participation from cooperative societies, unions, and citizens, making the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World” a lived reality.
July 5–6: Key Events with Union Minister Amit Shah
The meeting finalized the roadmap for a series of upcoming events. The most prominent among them will be held on July 5 and 6, in the presence of Union Minister Shri Amit Shah, to commemorate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s 150th birth anniversary.
On July 5, Shri Amit Shah will lay the foundation stone of Tribhuvan Cooperative University, India’s first cooperative university, in Anand.
Later the same day, he will chair a “Sahakar Samvad” (Cooperative Dialogue) at Science City, Ahmedabad, which will see participation from cooperative leaders from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
On July 6, he will inaugurate new cooperative initiatives of NDDB and Amul in Anand.
Highlights of Ongoing Cooperative Celebrations
The meeting reviewed cooperative initiatives already held between January and June 2025-
- District-level Republic Day parades featured cooperative-themed tableaus.
- Women and youth-focused seminars on cooperative principles were conducted.
- A state-wide “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” tree plantation drive was launched through cooperative institutions.
- Rural sanitation campaigns by cooperative societies added another layer of community engagement.
Nutrition Drive for Children in Sept–Oct
A special nutritional campaign will be launched during September–October, where approximately 30 lakh children (aged 3–6 years) will receive milk, moong (green gram), and chikki. This will be facilitated by milk unions, cooperative banks, and PACS as a part of the International Cooperative Year programs.
Mass Campaign to Thank the Prime Minister
Minister of State for Cooperation, Shri Jagdish Vishwakarma, announced a mass postcard campaign in which farmers, dairy workers, fishermen, and rural citizens will write to the Prime Minister, expressing gratitude for cooperative-driven development schemes that have transformed their livelihoods.
Upcoming PACS Empowerment Workshops
As part of capacity building, village-level workshops and seminars will be conducted to strengthen Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), with a focus on digitization, governance, and financial literacy.
Strong Administrative Backbone
The meeting was attended by senior state officials including Chief Secretary Shri Pankaj Joshi, ACS Revenue Dr. Jayanti Ravi, ACS Agriculture & Cooperation Smt. Anju Sharma, and other top bureaucrats and advisors. They reviewed progress, discussed logistics, and ensured alignment with the Union Ministry’s goals for the year.
Gujarat Aims to Become a Beacon of Cooperative Development
CM Patel reaffirmed the state’s resolve to make International Cooperative Year – 2025 a benchmark celebration. He noted that Gujarat can not only inspire India but also present a global template for how cooperatives can serve as engines of inclusive growth and social equity.
