PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Vidhan Sabha speaker Ritu Khanduri has said that the cooperative movement is not only limited to economic activities but is the soul of social harmony and rural development. She was addressing the Cooperative Fair at Pauri on Tuesday after ceremonially inaugurating it. The fair will culminate on October 15.
She said that the women today are moving forward with the help of self-help groups (SHG) which is a good sign not only for their families but also the entire society. Lauding the Cooperative department, the speaker said that such fairs help in providing a market for the local products and help in strengthening women. An empowered woman becomes the fulcrum of society and shows the way forward to it.
Speaking on the occasion, cabinet minister Dhan Singh Rawat said that cooperative movement is the backbone of rural development. The State government is not limiting the cooperative only in schemes but is making it a comprehensive movement of rural prosperity, employment generation and entrepreneurship. The minister averred that the government is making efforts to connect every village with cooperative movement so that the path of local products to reach national and international markets is cleared. He claimed that the cooperative movement is ensuring new employment opportunities for rural youth and economic security for the women. Rawat said that so far 30 lakh people have got associated with the cooperatives and the government plans to increase it to 50 lakh people with the help of Cooperative Fairs.
The chief development officer Girish Gunwant said that the events such as Cooperative Fairs provide identity and market to the local products. He said that the organic products, handicrafts, dairy products and agri -products produced by the women and youth self help groups are not only augmenting the income of the rural people but are helping in creating employment opportunities.
Khanduri and Rawat handed cheques of Rs five lakh each to Dhari Devi SHG Pokhri, Sukro SHG and Nirmal SHG Padampur Sukhro on the occasion.
The Agriculture, Horticulture, Dairy, Fisheries, UREDA, Animal Husbandry, Industries, Tourism, Social Welfare, Health, Cooperative and other departments have set up stalls in the fair.
