By our correspondent
Agartala, February 13, 2019: Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb today instructed the co-operative societies of the state to go forward with a progressive and target-bound plan. He also mentioned about potentiality of Co-operatives in reducing outflow of funds from the State for getting goods and services. Deb was speaking at a gathering of co-operative societies in Agartala today. In his speech, the Chief Minister detailed about scopes available and sectors need to explored for making co-operatives successful engine of growth and employment generation.
“A co-operative society can emerge as a solid platform for income generation for millions of people if it works in a target oriented manner” he commented. He also cited example of “Amul” as an ideal role model to be followed by co-operatives of the State.
Pitching for attaining self-reliance, he said, co-operative societies are one of the crucial constituent parts of a self reliant state and the government is eyeing to make co-operatives viable. If all the co-operative societies decide to inculcate professionalism within, nothing can stop Tripura of becoming a model state, he added.
A conscientious government should look forward to curtail the trail of its own money that goes outside of the state in lieu of goods, needs or services and to do so co-operative societies are bound to play a vital role, he said.
The state, he added, is deficient in food production. We are compelled to bring fish, expectedly 20,000 metric ton every year from Bangladesh which costs an annual expenditure tuned to rupees 600 crore. We import milk worth Rs 1, 100 crore from various parts of the country. Not only this we are also dependent on the rest of the country for pulses, the Chief Minister said adding that first we need to develop ourselves as self sufficient in these sectors.
He also advised the co-operative societies to install mills where pulses could be made distribution ready. The government is buying lentil for rationing and a good amount of money is needed to be spent for milling. If the state can establish its own milling industry we can rotate the money within the state markets, he suggested.
He also stressed on Bakery, piggery, hatchery and such other prospects that could be easily established and flourished in state market. “Once the state become sufficient in these fields nobody can stop the state from reaching atop like Gujrat”, he concluded.
Meanwhile, in the programme, prizes were distributed among the co-operative societies that are performing extensively well in their respective fields. Chief Weep Kalyani Roy, TTDC Chairman Santosh Saha, officials from the co-operative department, organising partner NCDC and NABARD were among the others who attended the function.
