Amit Shah to address National Symposium on Cooperative Exports tomorrow

Amit Shah will also launch the logo, website and brochure of NCEL and distribute the membership certificates to NCEL members, a Ministry of Cooperation statement said on Sunday.

As per the statement, a wide range of issues including channelising cooperatives for linkages to export markets, potential of Indian agri exports and opportunities for cooperatives among others will be discussed in the symposium.

The National Symposium on Cooperative Export will be attended by more than 1,000 participants including cooperative members of NCEL, representatives of different cooperative sectors including National Cooperative Federations, representatives of embassies of various countries and Central and State Government Officials. A large number of cooperative members and stakeholders will also join through online mode.

The NCEL came into existence after Shah put an emphasis on the need to establish a national-level multi-state cooperative society to function as an umbrella organisation for exports by the cooperative sector.

Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the able guidance of the Minister of Cooperation, the Ministry of Cooperation has taken 54 initiatives in the last 27 months to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country, said the statement.

Setting up a national-level Cooperative to promote export through cooperatives is one of such initiative which is an important step towards realising the Modi Government's vision of"Sahakar se Samriddhi".

The National Cooperative for Exports Limited is the newly established umbrella organisation for cooperative sector exports registered under the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002 on January 25 this year. It covers agriculture and allied activities as well as handloom and handicrafts items by enrolling a large number of co-operatives under its fold with a target to double its revenue by 2025 from the current level of about Rs 2,160 crore.

All cooperative societies from the level of primary to apex, who are interested in exports, are eligible to become members of the NCEL which has an authorised share capital of Rs 2,000 crore. It aims to focus on exporting the surpluses available in the Indian cooperative sector by accessing wider markets beyond the geographical contours of the country.

The symposium will commence with a presentation by officials of the Cooperation Ministry on the various initiatives undertaken to strengthen the cooperative sector. The second half of the symposium will comprise technical sessions on a host of topics including channelising cooperatives for linkages to export markets, the potential of Indian agri exports and opportunities for cooperatives, making India the dairy hub of the world, and the world's largest grain storage plan in the cooperative sector.

Four leading co-operatives- Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF - Amul), Indian Farmers' Fertiliser Cooperative (IFFCO), Krishak Bharti Cooperative (KRIBHCO) and National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) have jointly promoted NCEL. (ANI)