PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Cooperatives minister Dhan Singh Rawat has said that the Cooperative Fairs being organised in the State will prove beneficial to the farmers and help in achieving the target of preparing three lakh Lakhpati Didis. The minister participated in the Cooperative Fair organised at Simkani Ground in Almora on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion the minister said that 2025 is being celebrated as the International Year of Cooperatives and in Uttarakhand, 13 fairs, one in each district will be organised. He said that the first such fair has commenced in Almora and the last will be organised in Dehradun in December.
He said that apart from providing markets to the farmers and helping in creating Lakhpati Didis, these fairs will help in providing global recognition to the Manduwa, Jhingora and other local products under the Millets Mission.
Rawat averred that branding of products of every district will be done in these fairs. He claimed that the government is providing a platform to the farmers with the help of Cooperatives. He said that Farmer seminars will also be held in these fairs which will help in solving the problems of the farmers.
The minister said that the Women Self Help Groups will be given interest free loans of Rs 10 lakh under the cooperatives . He said that a new scheme to provide interest free loans of Rs 21,000 to Rs one lakh will soon start for single women to start their enterprise.
In the fair, the minister distributed cheques of the loans provided by the cooperative banks for the beneficiaries.
Rawat also flagged off the immunisation vehicle under the comprehensive immunisation campaign of the animal husbandry department.
Ranikhet MLA Pramod Nainwal, Almora mayor Ajay Verma and others attended the programme.
