Paperman Media ( Bhubaneswar )- Under the directions of the Department of Cooperation, Government of Odisha, the Odisha State Cooperative Union, Bhubaneswar, organized the inaugural celebration of the 5th Foundation Day of the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India with great grandeur at the premises of Cooperative Bhavan, Bhubaneswar.
To commemorate the completion of five years of the Ministry of Cooperation, established by the Government of India, a nationwide campaign has been launched from 29 June to 6 July 2026 to connect people with the cooperative movement and to spread awareness about the achievements of the Ministry of Cooperation across every corner of the country.
The campaign aims to strengthen Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), honour farmers, promote Green Cooperatives through tree plantation, encourage greater participation of students, youth and women in the cooperative sector, establish new cooperatives for the younger generation, and promote the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern technology in cooperative institutions.
The inaugural ceremony was formally inaugurated by Shri Pradeep Bal Samanta, Hon'ble Minister for Cooperation, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Government of Odisha. He first hoisted the Cooperative Flag at the Cooperative Bhavan premises, after which a public meeting was held.
The Hon'ble Minister attended the meeting as the Chief Guest. Shri Manish Agrawal, IAS, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Odisha, attended as the Guest of Honour, while Shri K. Sudarshan Chakraborty, IAS, Director of Agricultural Marketing and Member Secretary, OSAM Board, attended as another distinguished guest. The meeting was presided over by Smt. Prabasini Sadangi, Chairperson of the Odisha State Cooperative Union.
In his address, the Hon'ble Minister stated that, inspired by the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and the vision of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi" (Prosperity through Cooperation), the Department of Cooperation, Government of Odisha, has undertaken several initiatives to accelerate the cooperative movement in the State and ensure the success of this campaign.
He informed that the process of establishing at least one Agricultural Credit Cooperative Society, Dairy Cooperative Society or Fisheries Cooperative Society in every Gram Panchayat of Odisha is underway. Existing PACS are being transformed into Multi-Purpose PACS (M-PACS) to undertake diversified business and productive activities. He further stated that the Odisha Cooperative Policy–2026 has been prepared in alignment with the National Cooperative Policy–2025.
Speaking on the occasion, Shri Manish Agrawal, IAS, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, explained how cooperative institutions can be transformed into profitable and sustainable organizations.
Shri K. Sudarshan Chakraborty, IAS, Director of Agricultural Marketing and Member Secretary of the OSAM Board, stated that strengthening infrastructure is essential to make Odisha's cooperative movement more vibrant. He added that the Department of Cooperation has been giving top priority to infrastructure development over the past two years.
Presiding over the function, Smt. Prabasini Sadangi, Chairperson of the Odisha State Cooperative Union, thanked the Hon'ble Minister, the Secretary of the Department of Cooperation and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies for entrusting the Union with the responsibility of organizing such a significant inaugural event.
On the occasion, the Hon'ble Minister and other dignitaries also released the special edition of "Samabaya Samachar" and the Cooperative Circular Book published by the Odisha State Cooperative Union.
Members of the Managing Committee of the Odisha State Cooperative Union, including Shri Ranjan Kumar Das, Smt. Sunita Pati (Secretary) and Shri Brahmananda Parida (OSD), extended active support in the successful organization of the programme.
The programme was also attended by Smt. Usharani Das, Special Secretary, Department of Cooperation; Smt. Bishnupriya Sahu, Additional Secretary; Shri Surendra Kumar Sahu, Additional Secretary-cum-Financial Adviser; Shri Bhaktabandhu Sahu, Additional Registrar; Smt. Rosalyn Senapati, Additional Registrar; Smt. Sunita Satapathy, Additional Chief Auditor, along with other senior officials of the Cooperation Department, members of the managing committees of various cooperative institutions, employees, cooperative members, cooperative professionals and other distinguished participants.
The programme concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Smt. Sunita Pati, Secretary, Odisha State Cooperative Union.
