Bhubaneswar: The Odisha State Cooperative Union, Bhubaneswar, under the directions of the Department of Cooperation, Government of Odisha, organized the inaugural celebration of the 5th Foundation Day of the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, at the Cooperative Bhavan premises in Bhubaneswar.
To commemorate the successful completion of five years since the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation—a historic step envisioned and led by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah—a nationwide campaign has been launched from 29 June to 6 July 2026. This extensive campaign aims to connect citizens with the cooperative movement and spread awareness about the landmark achievements of the Ministry under the visionary leadership of Shri Amit Shah, who has consistently championed the mantra of Sahkar Se Samriddhi (Prosperity through Cooperation).
The campaign focuses heavily on the strategic priorities outlined by the Union Cooperation Minister, including the strengthening of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS), honoring farmers, promoting Green Cooperatives through tree plantation, and encouraging the participation of youth, students, and women. It also emphasizes establishing new cooperatives for the younger generation and accelerating the adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and modern technology across cooperative institutions, mirroring the digital transformation roadmap laid out by the Central Ministry.
The inaugural ceremony in Bhubaneswar was formally opened by Shri Pradeep Bal Samanta, Minister for Cooperation, Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts, Government of Odisha, who hoisted the Cooperative Flag before addressing a public gathering. Shri Manish Agrawal, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Odisha graced the occasion.
Attending as the Chief Guest, Minister Co-operation highlighted that, inspired by the national vision of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Union Minister Shri Amit Shah, Department of Cooperation has undertaken multiple initiatives to accelerate the grassroots movement. He announced that Odisha is actively working toward the Union Ministry’s goal of establishing at least one Agricultural Credit, Dairy, or Fisheries Cooperative Society in every Gram Panchayat. Furthermore, existing PACS are being transformed into Multi-Purpose PACS (M-PACS) to diversify business activities, and the newly prepared Odisha Cooperative Policy 2026 has been aligned with the National Cooperative Policy 2025.
Shri Manish Agrawal, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Odisha, attended as the Guest of Honour and shared insights on transforming cooperative institutions into profitable and sustainable organizations. Shri K. Sudarshan Chakraborty, Director of Agricultural Marketing and Member Secretary of the OSAM Board, emphasized that infrastructure development has been given top priority over the past two years to make the state’s cooperative sector more vibrant.
The event was presided over by Smt. Prabasini Sadangi, Chairperson of the Odisha State Cooperative Union, who expressed her gratitude to the department’s leadership for the privilege of organizing the milestone event. During the ceremony, the Minister and accompanying dignitaries released a special edition of Samabaya Samachar and the Cooperative Circular Book.
The successful execution of the program was supported by the Managing Committee of the Odisha State Cooperative Union, including Shri Ranjan Kumar Das, Smt. Sunita Pati (Secretary), and Shri Brahmananda Parida (OSD). The event also saw attendance from senior officials, including Smt. Usharani Das, Special Secretary; Smt. Bishnupriya Sahu, Additional Secretary; Shri Surendra Kumar Sahu, Additional Secretary-cum-Financial Adviser; Shri Bhaktabandhu Sahu, Additional Registrar; Smt. Rosalyn Senapati, Additional Registrar; and Smt. Sunita Satapathy, Additional Chief Auditor, alongside various cooperative professionals and members. The celebration concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Smt. Sunita Pati.