Govt moving towards one cooperative bank per district: UP CM Yogi

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Sunday accused the previous state governments of "destroying" the cooperative sector, saying the BJP-led administration has revived it and is now moving towards the concept of "one cooperative bank per district".

Addressing the 'Yuva Sahakar Sammelan' here, the CM said, "Before 2017, the condition of district cooperative banks was extremely poor. Sixteen banks had been declared defaulters and had their licenses revoked by the Reserve Bank of India. Today, these banks are healthy, contributing not only to their members but also to the prosperity of farmers."  He alleged that earlier governments promoted a "one district, one mafia" culture, which led to the collapse of the cooperative sector and trapped farmers' capital. "The BJP government gradually returned Rs 4,700 crore deposited by farmers in the 16 banks whose licenses had been revoked. Now, the banks are functioning effectively," he said.

The government is taking steps to strengthen cooperatives, highlighting their role in building trust, social capacity, and self-reliance. He also cited initiatives such as digitisation, e-governance, and transparent policies to ensure accountability in the sector, the chief minister said.

Adityanath urged for proper manpower allocation in cooperative societies managing fertilisers, chemicals, and pesticides, stating that such measures would strengthen farmer participation.