01 Feb 2024: Digitalization helps Ministry of Cooperation

Swapan Mahato , Photo Journalist , Freelance

On Tuesday, New Delhi, 2024: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the plan for the computerization of Agricultural and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) and Registrar Offices of Cooperative Societies (RCSs) in all states and Union Territories. This initiative will reduce dependence on paper in the cooperative sector and enhance efficiency. On this occasion, Amit Shah clarified, "The Modi government has worked to lay the foundation of prosperous villages through Digital India and cooperation. With digitalization, the Ministry of Cooperation will now reach from village to village." The demand for the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation had been pending for a long time in the country, but no government paid attention to it. In 2021, Modiji established the Ministry of Cooperation and entrusted its leadership to Amit Shah, known for the politics of ‘Antyodaya’. Modi has created a robust system through cooperatives to connect millions of people with self-employment. Shah has been associated with the cooperative movement for a long time and has effectively supported the joint movement. The deteriorated cooperative sector has been revived in just two years, and who alone can make it vibrant and beneficial to the last person? Approximately 23 crore people have moved above the poverty line so far. The Modi government is working for the welfare of the poor by providing gas, electricity, 5 kilograms of free ration, and various other facilities to millions of households today. Under the leadership of Modiji and the policies of Amit Shah, the Ministry of Cooperation is committed to realising the vision of 'Prosperity through Cooperation.' The computerization of ARDB and RCS offices is one of the significant steps taken by the ministry. This project demonstrates Amit Shah's dedication to modernizing and enhancing efficiency in the cooperative sector by bringing the entire cooperative ecosystem onto a digital platform. Today, with the computerization of PACS, they are being integrated with NABARD through standard national software. PACS is also empowered to start digital services as a multi-purpose Common Service Centre. Modernization is underway in all systems, from PACS to the cooperative system. It is no exaggeration to say that the neglected cooperative societies for years are now being given a new dimension by the Modi-Shah duo with the mantra of 'Prosperity through Cooperation.' India will emerge as a global power on the world stage in the fifth-largest economy in the journey of 'Resolution to Attain Success'. Under Shah's policies, work is rapidly being done to make cooperatives more relevant to the backbone of the rural economy and raise the standard of living of the rural population through cooperatives. The Ministry of Cooperation is continuously working to strengthen the foundation of cooperatives through unprecedented schemes under the skilled guidance of Amit Shah, the Chanakya of Indian politics known for his policies related to public welfare.