Centre does not intend to interfere in state cooperatives: Amit Shah

Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday said the Centre does not intend to interfere in the functioning of state cooperatives, but it will endeavour to bring uniformity in state laws through dialogue and coordination.

Addressing a two-day national conference on cooperation policy, Shah said cooperatives need to be developed to meet current-day challenges and the new cooperation policy will be ready in the next 8-9 months.

Several reforms are required and stakeholders can send their suggestions on the ministry's portal, he added.

The Minister of State for Cooperation B L Verma, Secretary D K Singh, National Cooperatives Development Corporation (NCDC) Managing Director Sandeep Kumar Nayak and other senior officials were present at the event.

The government has announced that it will come out with a new cooperation policy to strengthen cooperative movement in the country.

The two-day conference will see the centre and state governments deliberating on suggestions received from 56 stakeholders on the proposed policy.

The issues such as the present legal framework of cooperatives, identification of regulatory policies, operational barriers, reforms for strengthening governance, making cooperatives vibrant economic entities, training and education promoting new cooperatives including social cooperatives, revitalising defunct ones -- are some of the topics which will be discussed in the conference.