New Delhi/Jaipur, July 6 (IANS) Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Monday announced a series of major cooperative infrastructure and environmental initiatives for Rajasthan, including the foundation stone laying of 10 new grain storage warehouses, the inauguration of 50 warehouses, the transfer of 100 warehouses to the Rajasthan State Warehousing Corporation, and the launch of the ambitious ‘Sahkar Van’ project in Jaipur.

The initiatives are aimed at strengthening agricultural infrastructure, enhancing storage capacity, promoting environmental conservation and advancing rural self-reliance through the cooperative movement.

Addressing the fifth Foundation Day celebration of the Ministry of Cooperation at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, Home Minister Shah virtually laid the foundation stone for 10 new grain storage warehouses and inaugurated 50 completed warehouses in Rajasthan.

He also handed over 100 warehouses to the Rajasthan State Warehousing Corporation, a move expected to significantly strengthen the state’s agricultural storage and supply chain infrastructure.

The Union Minister also performed the e-Bhoomi Pujan for the ‘Sahkar Van’ project, which will be developed over 64 acres at Sumel village in Jaipur district.

The project will feature the plantation of indigenous tree species, including Khejri, Rohida and Neem, and will promote ecological conservation through both Miyawaki and conventional plantation methods.

The initiative seeks to integrate environmental sustainability with the cooperative movement while encouraging community participation in afforestation and promoting rural self-reliance.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma said Rajasthan’s cooperative sector has emerged as a powerful instrument for women’s empowerment and rural economic development.

He said the Rajasthan Cooperative Dairy Federation (RCDF) and district milk unions currently have 9.40 lakh milk-producing members, including more than 4.20 lakh women, reflecting the growing participation of women in the state’s dairy economy.

He said thousands of new milk collection centres have been established, new milk producer cooperative societies have been formed, and thousands of livestock rearers have joined the cooperative movement. These initiatives have strengthened the rural economy while increasing milk production and enhancing farmers’ incomes.

The Chief Minister said milk procurement in Rajasthan has increased from 38 lakh litres to 45 lakh litres per day, while dairy cooperatives have registered an unprecedented 70 per cent increase in new membership, indicating the rapid expansion of the sector.

Highlighting the state’s efforts to modernise cooperative institutions, Sharma said Rajasthan has made significant progress in the computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). In the first phase, 5,646 PACS have been converted into e-PACS by integrating modern technology into their operations.

He said the e-PACS network has recorded more than 10 crore online transactions, accounting for nearly one-third of all such transactions in the country, the highest by any state.

Around 4,875 PACS in Rajasthan are now engaged in three or more business activities, demonstrating the successful diversification and modernisation of the state’s cooperative institutions.

The announcements and achievements highlighted during the programme underscored the Centre’s and the Rajasthan government’s commitment to strengthening the cooperative movement as a key driver of agricultural growth, rural prosperity, women’s empowerment and sustainable development.

–IANS

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