"Cooperative System Makes Food Safety Scheme a Robust One in Odisha"

Leuven (Belgium)/Bhubaneswar, July 11: The Cooperative system in Odisha has made the food safety scheme a robust one. The successful cooperative system adopted in Odisha has been applauded in the International forum by other Countries.

Atanu sabyasachi Nayak Minister Cooperation who is on an eight-day visit to Belgium, is attending the joint International Cooperative Alliance Committee on Cooperative Research Global and European Cooperative Research Conference in Leuven, Belgium. 

Speaking on the occasion Nayak said that Odisha is one of the most progressive states in adopting innovations in the field of cooperatives with a view to making the Cooperatives most viable medium for all round economic development of the State in general and the economically weaker, marginalised and vulnerable sections of the society in particular. 

The PACS/LAMPCS of the State have been mandated to market the agricultural produce of the farmers. They procure Paddy from farmer at Government of India declared Minimum Support Price (MSP). Again, through Price Support Scheme of the Government, they do market intervention and ensure that Agri-Produces like Pulses and Oil Seeds are sold above MSP. 

Today Odisha is a food surplus state providing food grains to other States of India. World Food Programme (WFP) has appreciated Odisha Government’s food security implementation schemes and initiatives. This is one of the unique systems that we have adopted the Cooperatives in food production, procurement and food security process. 

The Cooperative Movement of Odisha was enriched by some of the best practices of the UK and other European Countries historically as the Father of the Cooperative Movement of Odisha, legendary Madhusudan Das, established the First Cooperative in 1898 in Odisha after he visited the Cooperatives formed by the Rochdale Brothers. 

Cooperative Societies have been playing a crucial role in fostering agricultural and other kinds of growth of the state under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, the Hon’ble Chief.The Government of Odisha have initiated a number of innovative measures to deliver effective and proactive governance for all stakeholders of the State.

Nayak also briefly highlighted the innovative measures adopted by the Government of Odisha with a view to ensuring good governance and prosperity through cooperatives. These measures also speak about the ecosystem in place which has promoted the innovative capacity of the cooperatives.

A few of those reforms are Computerization/Digitization of the Agricultural Cooperative Credit Structure , Making PACSs One-Stop-Shops , Creation of new PACS/LAMPCS , Procurement of Agri Produce , Cooperative Support System, Cooperative Capacity Building and the last but not least Bringing Separate Cooperative Policy.

It is worth mentioning that the joint International Cooperative Alliance Committee on Cooperative Research (ICA-CCR) Global and European Cooperative Research Conference is being organised in Leuven, Belgium, between July 10-13.

Hosted by the Centre of Expertise for Cooperative Entrepreneurship (KCO KU Leuven), the conference will bring together academics, researchers, and cooperative practitioners from all over the world, as well as policy-makers at the European Union and international level to discuss the latest research and policy developments in the area of cooperative governance.