New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) At the foundation stone laying ceremony of India’s first National Cooperative University — Tribhuvan Sahkari University — in Anand, Gujarat, Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah highlighted that the initiative embodies Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s steadfast commitment to empowering and advancing the cooperative movement across the country.

Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar and Muralidhar Mohol, as well as Gujarat’s Education and Cooperation Ministers Rishikesh Patel and Jagdish Vishwakarma, were also present at the foundation-laying ceremony.

Launching a scathing remark at the opposition, Shah said, “Congress did not even know that Tribhuvandas K. Patel was once a Congress member, not from the BJP. In fact, at that time, our party had not even been formed.”

Paying tribute to the legendary cooperative leader, Shah remarked, “The name Tribhuvan Sahkari University is not derived from any deity or ideology, but honours Tribhuvandas K. Patel — the visionary whose unparalleled contributions laid the foundation for India’s cooperative movement, especially in the dairy sector. There could be no more fitting name for this university than his.”

Highlighting Patel’s pioneering work, Shah stated, “It was in 1946 that he sowed the seed of farmer empowerment with the establishment of Kheda Milk Union. That seed has grown into a massive tree, benefiting countless farmers and women. The brand AMUL, which now dominates the dairy industry, is a proud symbol of that vision. Today, our cooperative dairy proudly stands tall even among global giants.”

Referring to the government’s broader vision, Shah said, “When PM Modi decided to improve the economic condition of crores of poor and rural people, he established a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation. Since then, the cooperative movement has moved rapidly forward, with over 80 lakh ward members joining, and 30 crore people now part of this movement. That means every fourth citizen of the nation is connected to it.”

He further added, “Earlier, we used to hire people and train them. But now, only those educated in cooperative systems at this university will be recruited. This will enhance efficiency and ensure complete transparency.”

The Tribhuvan Sahkari University is a testament to India’s renewed focus on cooperative development.

–IANS

rs/skp