Cooperative Societies have important role to play: Minister

Jalandhar, Nov 18 (UNI) Claiming that cooperative societies have been playing dominant role in providing employment to lakhs of unemployed youth of the state, Cooperation Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh today revealed that the Union Government has already promised to issue a grant of Rs 1100 crore for the re-organisation of all the co-operative societies of the state.

"There are around 4000 co-operative societies started with the sole efforts of women of the state and having a membership of around 50,000 and the Union Government has promised to issue a grant of Rs 1100 crore to re-organise these societies" he said while addressing a function on the occasion of the 55th annual cooperative week here today.

He claimed that the scheme named 'Mai Bhago Istri Shakti Yojna' run by he cooperative department would definitely give positive results in future as cooperative banks had already distributed Rs 805.20 lakh to around 2732 women to become independent by initiating small business ventures.

Another scheme of department named, Bhai Khanayia Health Scheme also proved beneficial for farmers as they can now afford treatment in any reputed or expensive hospital without paying a single penny, he added.

He said that objectives of the cooperative societies were to empower women and make them independent by providing them self employment. He revealed that government had recently started 12 schemes for cooperative societies.

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