Sahkar Uday 3rd Issue English

Sahkar UdayYear:01-Issue:-03-June2023 Sarv Sahkar, Sarv Sakaar Model Bye-laws A Big Gain for PACS Farm Sheep, Silk Branding Goat Production Hospital Community and and Pig Farming Centre Marketing Activities Machinery Storage and Custom packaging of Fair price Hiercenter Cultivation of agricultural ration Horticulture products shops Icnosvuerraangcee Poultry Products Fruits Food Industry and Flowers Grains Dairy Bee Purchase LPG, Petrol Industry keeping & Diesel Bank Mitra Dealership & Business Correspondent Fisheries Community Service Centre Pesticide & Data Centre Distribution Other Water service Fertilizer Seed business DGuansg from every Distribution Distribution activities locker associated facility household tap with PACS Implemented in 22 Major States

Table of Contents Model Bye-laws A Big Gain for PACS SahkarSarv Sahkar, sarv Sakaar Uday Union Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah is working on a strategy June 2023, Issue-3, Year-1 to strengthen infrastructure from the Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) Editorial Board to Apex, in the cooperative sector... (Editor in Chief) Santosh Kumar Shukla Page No 05 Editor Page No 09 Page No 12 Rohit Kumar Assistant Editor Science and Technology Cooperatives: Platform Ank Anjalideep enhance strength of society for Aspirations of 70 Crore People Members Madhavi M.Vipradas In order to fulfil Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahakar Vivek Saxena Se Samriddhi”, Union Home and Hitendra Pratap Singh Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah is working on a strategy to connect Rashid Alam youth with cooperatives. If you have any suggestions, On National Technology Day -- May 11, Page No 14 feedback, or articles related to 2023 -- Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Sahkar Uday, please email us at: dedicated projects worth more than ₹5,800 Amul Launches Advanced crore to the nation. Organic Testing Laboratory [email protected] in Gandhinagar The final decision on publication will Page No 15 Page No 18 be taken by the editorial board. High Employment Generation Initiatives to Make Cooperatives Joint General Manager Due to PM Initiative: Shah Universal and All-Inclusive: Shri BL Verma (Cooperative Development) IFFCO Sadan, C-1, District Centre, Saket Place, New Delhi 110017 You can also reach us at: Iffco.coop IFFCO_PR Iffco_coop Sahkar UdayYear:01-Issue:-02-May2023 Sarv Sahkar, Sarv Sakaar PACS COMPUTERIZATION Page No 20 Page No 29 Catalyzing Cooperative Nano-Fertilizers India’s The cooperative will produce Movement in India Answer to Global Food crops on barren land Crisis Publisher: Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd. Page No 24 IFFCO Project Brings Printer: Royal Press Greenery to Barren Okhla, New Delhi. Pratapgarh 2 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Message From the Editor’s Desk Cooperative societies in India originated nearly 120 years ago when the first Agricultural Credit Society was formed in 1904. The last 12 decades have seen radical changes in the cooperative sector. Today, India’s cooperative sector is playing an important role in the development of the social and economic sectors of the country. A cooperative society provides equal rights to all its members without taking into consideration their shareholding and social standing. The Indian cooperative credit structure is one of the largest rural financial systems in the world, providing better socio-economic security to small and marginal farmers. “Cooperative Societies” cater to various needs of their members, such as short-term and medium-term loans, fair price selling facilities and agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilizers and pesticides, as well as encouraging the habit of savings among members. Despite the presence of all the above positive aspects, the Indian cooperative structure is facing various challenges. Lack of adequate resources, weak organization, lack of professionalism, as well as a large number of dues, are some of the serious problems faced by Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). The current Government of India has proposed new bye-laws with the aim of overcoming all these challenges and problems in the Indian cooperative movement, which will be established as “model bye-laws” for all cooperative societies across India. At the centre of these new model bye-laws, there are various provisions to bring professionalism, transparency and accountability to the functioning of cooperatives, thereby further strengthening the trust of members in them. The Indian cooperative movement is now at the pinnacle of success. One sterling example is that of the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), which has once again been honoured with being the world’s best cooperative society, which is a moment of pride for all of us! This month’s issue of “Sahkar Uday” includes detailed coverage of Model Bye-laws, Employment Opportunities for the Youth, Start-up Ecosystem, IFFCO’s Nano Fertilizer Export, along with other important topical information. Hope you like this issue. We look forward to your suggestions to make the magazine more interesting and informative. Thanks and regards! ‘Jai Sahkar’ June 2023 Sahkar Uday 3

Cooperative Voice With the efforts of India, both Ayurveda Inaugurated the ‘Advanced Organic Testing Laboratory’ and Millets – ‘Shree Anna’ have become a at AmulFed Dairy in Gandhinagar. These equipment global movement these days. We can also will help identify and quantify organic compounds in create new museums based on the journey of thousands of years of the different types food samples. The laboratory supports market demand for organic produce, benefiting both farmers and the of millets. industry as a whole. It will play an important role in PM Narendra Modi environmental protection along with land enrichment. Amit Shah Union Minister for Home and Cooperation We welcome the decision On behalf of the by Union Home and farmer brothers and sisters of India, we Cooperation Minister welcome the cabinet Shri Amit Shah ji to decision to approve form 1100 new Farmer the subsidy of ₹1.08 Producer Organizations lakh crore for Urea (FPOs) in the cooperative and DAP for the Kharif sector in order to realize season 2023-24. Modi Narendra Modi’s vision of government is committed to “Sahakar Se Samriddhi”. the development of farmers. BL Verma Dileep Sanghani Minister of State for Cooperation , Government of India Chairman, IFFCO Lakhs of farmers in the Integration of PACS in the FPO scheme country are getting will enable them to expand their business better production and in the areas of supply of production inputs; more profit by adopting agricultural equipment like cultivator, tiller, IFFCO Nano Urea (Liquid). harvester, etc. and processing, including Its cost is less and profits cleaning, assaying, sorting, grading, packing, are more. IFFCO Nano Urea (Liquid) is available at all storage, transportation, etc. cooperative societies and Ministry of Cooperation IFFCO centres. Dr. US Awasthi, MD & CEO IFFCO 4 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Model Cover Story Bye-laws A Big Gain for PACS l Bye-laws implemented in 22 major states including Uttar Pradesh l Unemployed rural youth and women to get employment opportunities; PACS business scope will increase. Sahkar Uday Team This central government Union Home and Cooperation initiative will create employment Minister Shri Amit Shah is working opportunities in rural areas and, youth on a strategy to strengthen and women will be brought into the infrastructure from the Primary Agricultural mainstream society to contribute Credit Society (PACS) to Apex, in the constructively to sustainable economic cooperative sector, in order to realise Prime development. Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi”. PACS model bye-laws Several administrative reforms have PACS model bye-laws have been made been undertaken to strengthen PACS. to empower and expand the scope of these There are various provisions for bringing credit societies at the village level. They professionalism, transparency and have been adopted in 22 states and the process is on in the rest of the states and the Union Territories. June 2023 Sahkar Uday 5

Cover Story accountability to their operation. cooperative societies all over the PACS model bye-laws will Several changes have been made country, ensure 100% computerization make them multipurpose of all PACS, and bring uniformity to its in the appointment of the Board of national bye-laws. and profit-making and Directors. Representation of women, expand their scope to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, Shri Amit Shah recently said in an have been made mandatory in their event: “Cooperative movement will include marketing, boards. only gain momentum by strengthening godowns, gobar gas and economic upgradation of PACS. production, electricity bill Professionals can be easily A total of 2.64 lakh PACS, along with collection, facility of gas hired now, as also landless farmers, those in dairy and fisheries sectors, have distribution agencies, tap agricultural labour representatives, been identified in the first phase of the water scheme, etc. animal husbandry, dairy farmers, and National Cooperative Database Project.” fish farmers. -Shri Amit Shah, The 22 states where PACS have been Union Home and No one can be denied PACS implemented include Uttar Pradesh, Cooperation Minister membership. This will make the Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Haryana, benefits of cooperatives accessible Himachal Pradesh, Assam, Karnataka, and they understood and welcomed his to most people. In case of the death Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Gujarat, initiative. of a member, the provision of giving Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, membership to their family members Jharkhand, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra. The cooperative movement in India has also been simplified. This will facilitate the smooth working has an old history, hence its bye-laws of cooperatives at the central, state, are outdated and coming in the way Requirement of Model Bye-laws district and gram panchayat levels. of serving people in the 21st century. There is a dire need for efficient They have a limited range of operations, management and functioning of PACS. Introduction of model bye-laws including short-term crop loans, loans Also, to meet the requirement of PACS were facing a number of for the purchase of low-cost agricultural skilled professionals and increase its challenges for which it was necessary equipment, and distribution of seeds, administrative capacity, it is necessary to reform these credit societies, but it fertilizers and pesticides. to amend the bye-laws of PACS. wasn’t easy because PACS was a state Keeping in view the importance of subject. PACS in giving impetus to cooperative Shri Amit Shah discussed this with movements, a national cooperative state administrations across the country, database is being prepared to map 6 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Cover Story Other business activities associated with PACS ¶Seed distribution 10 major schemes of the Ministry of ¶Fertilizer distribution Agriculture ¶Pesticide distribution ¶Fish farming ¶Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) ¶Dairy industry ¶Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) ¶Poultry Industry ¶Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) ¶Farm Machinery Custom ¶Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) ¶PM Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Hire Centre ¶Horticulture Scheme (PM FME) ¶Bee-keeping ¶Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) ¶Sheep, goat and pig ¶Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund farming (FIDF) ¶Sericulture ¶National Program for Dairy Development (NPDD) ¶Food grains purchase ¶Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund ¶Storage (warehouse (DIDF) and cold storage) and ¶Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY) packaging of agricultural Council for Cooperative Training (NCCT) opinions. More than 1,500 suggestions to prepare these model bye-laws. and comments poured in, which were products incorporated into the final draft. It was ¶Hospitals A 9-member committee headed by then sent to all the parties concerned on ¶Community Centres Shri AP Reddy prepared a draft in this January 5, 2023. ¶Branding and Marketing regard, which was sent to the States and Union Territories, along with State Advantages of implementing Model Activities Cooperative Banks, District Cooperative Bye-laws in PACS ¶Fair price ration shops Central Banks, and various cooperative ¶Insurance facility federations. The distribution of agricultural input ¶Bank Mitra and Business to farmers will increase and dairy and This draft was also put on the fishery cooperatives will also be able to Representative website of the Ministry to get members’ work under this format. ¶LPG, Petrol and Diesel Dealership ¶Community Service Centre and Data Centre ¶Jal Jeevan Mission ¶Gobar gas ¶Electricity Bill Distribution and Collection Centre ¶Locker facility The income is also, less which also necessitates this change. NCCT committee received 1,500 suggestions An expert committee was constituted in collaboration with the National June 2023 Sahkar Uday 7

Cover Story Latest details of Central Government’s Gift to PACS states implemented Making PACS multipurpose will generate employment model bye-laws opportunities for youth and women in rural areas. PACS will also get the benefits of schemes from various Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, ministries. So far, around 32 such enterprises have been Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal identified in these schemes through which PACS can earn Pradesh, Karnataka, Madhya profit. Also, around 80 areas have been identified where Pradesh, Manipur, Nagaland, PACS can go multipurpose and earn profits. Odisha, Rajasthan, Sikkim, Tripura, PACS are currently governed by cooperative laws of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, various states and Union Territories and many challenges Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, arise due to a lack of uniformity. In many states, PACS are Bihar and Chhattisgarh either inactive or are not able to work to full capacity due to the lack of legal reforms. Union Territory They lack business capability and diversification. Also, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman organizational weakness and lack of awareness among and Nicobar Islands, Ladakh. the Board of Directors and PACS members come in the way. Then there is a lack of business acumen harming its PACS will handle more than two economic condition. dozen scheduled tasks, including post- There are currently 95,000 PACS at the national level. harvesting storage, marketing and Computerization of 63,000 PACS, which are active, has processing of agricultural produce. The been approved, for which budgetary approval of ₹ 2,516 responsibility of implementing 10 major crore has been received. schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture More than 13 crore farmers are directly associated with and Farmers Welfare has been entrusted these cooperatives. The national software being developed to the Ministry of Cooperation. for this project will include separate modules for all business activities listed in the model bye-laws. Similarly, the process of linking these schemes with PACS is also going on simultaneously. ¿¿¿ 8 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Initiatives Science and Technology enhance strength of society “India considers technology as an instrument for the progress of the country and not as its instrument to assert dominance.” Sahkar Uday Team n India has become the 3rd largest start-up ecosystem in the world. On National Technology Day -- May 11, 2023 -- Prime Minister n The right use of technology empowers society. Shri Narendra Modi dedicated projects worth more than ₹5,800 crore in the field of science and technology. has increased from 4,000 per year 10 to the nation. “Start-up India Campaign, Digital years ago to more than 30,000 annually. Registration of designs has grown from On this occasion, he underscored India, and National Education Policy will 10,000 to 15,000 in the same period. the importance of technology as a tool help India in gaining new heights in the The number of trademarks has grown for giving momentum to the country’s field of technology,” the Prime Minister from less than 70,000 to more than 2.5 growth trajectory and that, it is essential said. lakh registration annually,” he said. for our nation in achieving sustainable development goals and building an Shri Modi emphasised that science, Shri Modi laid foundation stones inclusive ecosystem. which was earlier confined to books, and dedicated multiple projects is now turning into patents through related to scientific and technological Shri Modi said that measures taken experiments. “The number of patents after 2014 have resulted in big changes June 2023 Sahkar Uday 9

Initiatives advancement to the nation, on this Talking about the strong foundation occasion. This is in line with his vision of “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” by strengthening built in the country during the last 9 scientific institutions in the country. JAM Trinity, GeM Portal, years to ignite the minds of youth, he “Today, India is moving forward CoWin portal and e-NAM in every direction that is necessary to are making technology an said, “Young scientists are coming out become a tech leader. In 2014, there were only around 150 incubation agent of inclusion. of schools and reaching the remotest centres in India. Today, the number of -Prime Minister such centres in India has crossed 650. corners of the country,” and emphasized In 2014, India’s Global Innovation Index Shri Narendra Modi Rank was at 81, which has risen to the that it is the duty of every citizen to 40th position today! The youth of the minds of India towards innovation. country are setting up their own digital ‘Atal Tinkering Lab’, which was started support them, nurture their talents and ventures and start-ups. The number of a few years ago, is today becoming start-ups in India has increased from the innovation nursery of the country help them implement their ideas. roughly 100 to 1,00,000 authorised and more than 10,000 of these labs start-ups today. India has become the have been established in 700 districts He said that India’s “Tinker- 3rd largest start-up ecosystem in the across India. More importantly, 60% of world. This growth has come at a time these labs are in government and rural preneurs” will soon become the world’s when the world is passing through a schools. More than 75 lakh students are period of economic uncertainties. It working very hard on more than 12 lakh leading entrepreneurs. Shri Modi said shows India’s potential,” Shri Modi said. innovation plans in these Atal Tinkering Labs.” when we move keeping in mind the “That’s why I will say again, that for policymakers, for our scientific On this occasion, Shri Modi reiterated social context of technology, it becomes community, for our thousands of that today, at the initial period of “Amrit research labs spread across the country, Kaal”, the goals of 2047 are clear before a powerful tool of empowerment. He for our private sector, the present us – “We have to make India ‘Viksit’ moment is extremely important and and ‘Atmanirbhar’”. He said that we recalled a time when technology was that the passion, energy and capabilities need to create an inclusive ecosystem of the children and youth today are for growth, innovation and sustainable beyond the reach of common citizens India’s biggest strengths,” the Prime development. Shri Modi underlined the Minister said on the occasion. importance of technology at every step and things like debit and credit cards and said that India is moving forward Shri Modi emphasized that India’s with a holistic 360-degree approach in were status symbols. But, today, UPI future will be decided by the youth this regard. He said, “India considers and children of today and praised technology as an instrument for the has become the new normal because of the theme of “School to Start-ups progress of the country and not as its -- igniting young minds to innovate”, instrument to assert dominance.” its simplicity. marking the event. Referring to the efforts of the central government to Quoting former President, late APJ Today India is among the countries inspire people towards innovations in Abdul Kalam, Shri Modi underscored the country, Shri Modi said: “A strong the importance of knowledge and said with the highest data use. The number foundation has been laid in the country that India is developing as a knowledge during this period to inspire the young society. of rural data users has overtaken urban users. JAM Trinity, GeM Portal, CoWin portal and e-NAM are making technology an agent of inclusion, Shri Modi said. Presently, the central government is using technology to provide public services. Shri Modi said that online birth certificates, e-Pathshala and Diksha e-learning platforms, scholarship portals, Universal access numbers during job tenure, e-Sanjeevani for medical treatment and Jeevan Praman for the elderly, are solutions helping citizens at every step in life. The Prime Minister referred to Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools emerging as new game changers, with immense possibilities in the healthcare and therapeutics sectors and said that India must take a lead in such revolutionary technologies. ¿¿¿ 10 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Self Reliance NCDC to Set up 1,100 New FPOs in Cooperative Sector Sahkar Uday Team n Small farmers will get direct benefits. n PACS gets expansion, to become a permanent Many positive steps are being taken in the cooperative financial source. sector to realize Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s resolution etc. The integration of PACS with FPOs cultivation, etc. This government initiative of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi”. will enable them to supply agricultural will also help in providing necessary equipment like cultivators, tillers, market linkages to cooperative societies The Union Ministry of Cooperation harvesters, etc, and also undertake food in getting fair price for their produce. said 1,100 new farmer producer processing operations. organizations (FPOs) will be established This initiative, along with various other in the cooperative sector under a central Farmers will get better prices for steps taken by the Ministry of Cooperation scheme. The National Cooperative their produce by expanding their work to strengthen the cooperative movement Development Cooperation (NCDC), under area into activities such as grain cleaning, across India, will make the cooperative the able leadership of Union Home and assaying, sorting, grading, packing, sector, and PACS in particular, more dynamic, Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah, has storing and transporting. viable, and financially sound. It will also been entrusted with this task. Financial prove to be very helpful in institutionalising assistance of ₹33 lakh will be provided In addition to this, PACS will also be and making them a permanent feature in to each FPO under the scheme. Further, able to take up high income generating the cooperative sector. ¿¿¿ financial assistance of ₹25 lakhs per FPO enterprises like beekeeping, mushroom will also be provided to Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBO). Since February 2021, the Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare is implementing a central-sector scheme, “Formation and promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations”, with a budgetary provision of ₹6,865 crore. Around 13 crore farmers are associated with Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) in India’s cooperative sector. This government decision will facilitate PACS to diversify their business and generate new and sustainable sources of income. They currently deal with the distribution of agricultural inputs such as short-term loans, seeds, fertilizers, June 2023 Sahkar Uday 11

Development Measures Cooperatives: Platform for Aspirations of 70 Crore People Sahkar Uday Team n A strong PACS foundation will strengthen the cooperative sector. In order to fulfil Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahakar n Need to take forward the cooperative ideology for the Se Samriddhi”, Union Home and next 100 years by combining it with technology and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah is professionalism. working on a strategy to connect youth with cooperatives. n Cooperatives reaching out to 91% of Indian villages. Model bye-laws have been Modi has breathed new life into the crore underprivileged people financially introduced to ensure the participation of cooperative movement by creating the self-reliant; these people were not even youth, from Primary Agricultural Credit Union Ministry of Cooperation in the in a position to dream of development Societies (PACS) to Apex, which will 75th year of Indian Independence. during the last 70 years, as the previous create employment opportunities for governments only used the slogan of them in various cooperative societies. “We are celebrating ‘Azadi Ka Amrit “Garibi Hatao”, but did precious little. Mahotsav’ and 2047 will be the year People cannot be linked to economic Shri Shah said at a function, “Work when the cooperative movement will development unless their living has to be done to take forward the be at its peak in the country,” Shri Shah standards are improved. After Shri Modi cooperative ideology for the next 100 said. became the Prime Minister of India in years by combining it with technology 2014, there has been a radical change and professionalism, as per modern “Nothing can be better than the times.” He further said that Shri cooperative movement to make 70 12 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Development Measures in their lives. He has increased the to the world. Only the principles of aspirations and expectations of citizens, which only cooperatives can fulfil,” Shri cooperatives can give longevity to the Shah said. cooperative movement. Abandoning “The world has adopted both the capitalist and communist models, A strong foundation of the the principles of cooperatives is the root but both are extreme models. The cooperative movement has cooperative model is the middle way and been laid across the country cause for some PACS biting the dust,” is best suited for India,” Shri Shah said. and it is now our responsibility He said unbalanced development has and that of the generations to Shri Shah said. taken place due to the present economic come to build a strong and model, whereas, the cooperative model Self-reliance means not only is the right way forward and must be vibrant nation upon this popularized to make it universal and all- foundation. being self-reliant in technology and inclusive. Shri Amit Shah, Union Minister production, but also for everyone to “This will lead to the creation of a of Home and Cooperation self-reliant India; 8.55 lakh out of 30 lakh be financially self-reliant. When this cooperative societies in the world are in many nations,” Shri Shah said. India and around 13 crore people are Due to the lack of even a database happens, the nation will automatically directly associated with them. Almost 91% of villages in India have some of cooperatives in India and the lack of be self-reliant. The Modi government form of cooperative agency working for proper attention, this sector has been them,” Shri Shah said. neglected, Shri Shah said, adding that has computerized 65,000 PACS, which despite this, the current government led “Many people think that by Shri Modi has shored up cooperatives, will bring PACS, District Co-operative cooperatives have failed, but they should transferred profits of giants in the field look at global data which shows that like Amul, IFFCO, and KRIBHCO directly Banks, State Co-operative Banks, and cooperatives are a major contributor to the bank accounts of farmers. to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of NABARD online, Shri Shah said. “Cooperation has been the soul of Indian culture since the very beginning. The central government has sent India has given the idea of c​​ ooperatives model bye-laws for PACS to the states and UTs for their suggestions, so that PACS can be made multi-purpose and multi-functional. Most of the states have started implementing them. The Ministry of Cooperation is actively working to bring in all possible reforms to make cooperative societies thriving, prosperous and relevant to the lives of crores of villagers and farmers, Shri Shah said. ¿¿¿ June 2023 Sahkar Uday 13

Technology Amul Launches Advanced Organic Testing Laboratory in Gandhinagar Sahkar Uday Team n Cooperative company’s first laboratory for organic testing. Amul has set up an Advanced Organic Testing Laboratory at n State-of-the-art organic laboratory will increase trust AmulFed Dairy, Gandhinagar, in organic products. Gujarat which was inaugurated by Shri Amit Shah, Union Home and market demand for organic produce food items correspond to national and Cooperation Minister. Amul or by protecting the integrity of organic international organic standards. Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing goods, which benefits both farmers Federation (GCMMF), is a leading food and the sector as a whole. The new equipment in the products organization of India and the Amul lab will identify and measure Amul Dairy will test various products Pesticides, heavy metals, and organic chemicals in food samples in this laboratory with the help of other contaminants are detected and these include trace elements a modern facility to ensure which in the laboratory via diverse testing and heavy metals in food samples, products are organic and label them, approaches and techniques, thereby as well as mycotoxins, additives, and accordingly. This move is expected to boosting the people’s confidence in preservatives. They can also identify strengthen the people’s confidence these products and also protecting pesticides, herbicides, and other in organic products at a time when their health. It also ensures that organic pollutants. food is being grown with fertilizers, pesticides and other chemicals. This Amul wants to offer organic is a first designated lab for Amul to farmers and other industry participants evaluate organic products and assist affordable organic testing results that organic farmers. adhere to international standards. By delivering accurate test findings Amul forayed into the and ensuring that organic claims are organic business in May 2022 by supported by research, organic testing introducing ‘Amul Organic Atta’. laboratories play a crucial role in But this company has now included fostering trust. The laboratory fosters basmati rice and arhar dal in its list of organic products. ¿¿¿ 14 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Achievements High Employment Generation Due to PM Initiative: Shah Sahkar Uday Team n Home Minister The NDA government distributed 44,703 distributed appointment Union Home and Cooperation government jobs in letters to the 44,703 youths Minister Shri Amit Shah Assam. in Assam. Government recently handed over 44,703 completed approx 86,000 appointment letters for government n ‘Now you will get appointments, proving its jobs in Assam. Several dignitaries permanent jobs instead election promise to give 1 including the Chief Minister of Assam, of temporary ones.’ lakh govt jobs in the state. Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma, were present on the occasion. changes under various schemes by Shri -Shri Amit Shah, Modi such as AMRUT mission, RERA law, Union Home and In his address, Shri Shah said that and a wide network of metro and electric Cooperation Minister under the leadership of Prime Minister buses have been heartily welcomed by Narendra Modi, the Assam government Assam people. self-reliant through the Pradhan Mantri gave government jobs to about 86,000 Swanidhi Yojana. youth in 2 years, and by giving 14,000 Cleanliness is ensured through more jobs in the next few months it Green Energy, Swachh Bharat Abhiyan Shri Shah said that the government will fulfil its promise of providing 1 lakh and the construction of public toilets, took several steps to make Assam the government jobs in Assam very soon. clean energy, solar rooftop and LED lights. Shri Shah said that for the Shri Shah said that changes such welfare of the urban poor, about 15 as e-governance, smart city mission, million houses were built for the urban integrated command and control centre poor. The street vendors have become and CCTV network have made Assam a developed state and infrastructural June 2023 Sahkar Uday 15

Achievements medical capital of North East India and Whether it is foreign investment the policies of the government were Eastern countries and that the fiscal into the country or record formulated keeping new possibilities position of Assam has improved, the exports from India, it is also of employment at the centre. Be it the state’s GSDP has increased from Rs 4 creating employment construction of modern infrastructure, lakh crore in 2021-22 to Rs 5.50 lakh development of rural areas, or expansion crore in 2023-24. Industries are growing opportunities in every nook and of facilities related to survival, every plan and investment is coming under the corner of the country. and policy of the Government of India is industrial policy and Assam is on the path creating new employment opportunities of development with the Arunodaya -Prime Minister for the youth.” scheme. He said that the agriculture Shri Narendra Modi Public service centres promoting rural and dairy sector is developing and 3,000 ponds are being developed and to complete the recruitment process. entrepreneurship the government is making every effort Today this process is completed in six Shri Modi said, “Five lakh common to make Assam flood free in the next 5 to eight months. Earlier it was very service centres have been opened in years. difficult to apply for a government job. every village and they have become a One had to stand in queues for hours. major source of employment besides Government Committed to Moreover, it was also not sure whether making youth entrepreneurs at the Empowering Youth the application reached on time or not. village level. Be it building more than Today the entire process from applying 30,000 ‘Panchayat Bhavans’ in villages At the job fair held recently, Shri to getting the results has become online. or connecting nine crore houses with Modi delivered 71,000 appointment Today it is also sufficient to self-attest water connections, all these campaigns letters for government jobs. He said, the document. The biggest advantage of are generating employment on a large “All of you have achieved this success all these efforts is that the possibilities scale. Whether it is foreign investment through hard work.” The central of corruption or nepotism have ended”. into the country or record exports from government is speeding up government India, it is also creating employment jobs recruitments along with training New employment opportunities opportunities in every nook and corner programs to utilize the immense energy through infrastructure development of the country.” Shri Modi said, “The and potential of young manpower in nature of the job has also changed very India’s development. “The Government The Central Government is rapidly in the last nine years. In these of India has given priority to making giving priority to basic infrastructure changing circumstances, new sectors the government recruitment process development pan India. Mentioning this, have emerged for the youth. The Central transparent and fair in the last nine Shri Modi said, “During these nine years, Government is continuously supporting years. Earlier, the Staff Selection Board these new sectors as well. We have used to take around 15 to 18 months 16 Sahkar Uday June 2023 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Achievements witnessed a new revolution in start-up In the last 9 years, culture in these nine years. While there the Government of were a few hundred start-ups in 2014, India has also given today this number is close to one lakh. priority to making And it is estimated that these start-ups have provided employment to at least the government 10 lakh youth.” recruitment process Mudra Yojana changing picture faster, more Shri Modi said, “The Government transparent and fair. of India has sanctioned 23 lakh crore rupees to the youth under the Mudra -Prime Minister Yojana in the last nine years. Some have Shri Narendra Modi started their new business with this amount, whereas some have bought a skills to work in different sectors. As part increased, naturally the number of seats taxi or have expanded their shop. And of this, higher education institutions and also increased and opportunities for their number is not in lakhs. I proudly skill development institutions are also higher education also increased for the say this number is in crores today. There being constructed on a war footing. A youth. There were only around 80,000 are about eight to nine crore people new IIT and IIM have come up every year MBBS and MD seats in our country before who have started their independent between 2014 and 2022. On average, 2014. Now the MBBS and MD seats work for the first time with the help of one university has been opened every have increased to more than 1.70 lakh.” the Mudra Yojana. The ongoing ‘Aatma week and two colleges have been opened Shri Modi said, “In this ‘Mahayagya’ of Nirbhar Bharat’ campaign is also based every day in the last nine years. There development going on, youth power will on the creation of employment through were around 720 universities before the now play a direct role in such big changes. manufacturing. The Central Government formation of our government. Now this He urged the youth, “From today a new is providing assistance of about Rs 2 number has increased to more than 1100. phase of learning is starting in your lakh crore for manufacturing under the Only seven AIIMS were built in seven life. The government is laying great PLI scheme. Apart from making India decades. In the last nine years, we have emphasis on the new skill development the manufacturing hub of the world, moved towards building 15 new AIIMS. of its employees. Keeping this in mind, this amount will also help in providing Many of these hospitals have also started the Online Educational Platform (i-GoT) employment to lakhs of youth.” providing their services. As of 2014, there Karmayogi has been started. There are Shri Modi said, “It is very important were less than 400 medical colleges. many types of courses available on this for the youth of India to develop the Today their number has increased to platform. Make full use of them.” ¿¿¿ about 700. If the number of colleges June 2023 Sahkar Uday 17

Achievements Initiatives to Make Cooperatives Universal and All-Inclusive: Shri BL Verma Sahkar Uday Team n All obstacles are being removed in the development Union Minister of State for of the cooperative sector. Cooperation, Shri BL Verma, recently tweeted: “Our n No gram panchayat in the country will be left government is constantly working to untouched by cooperatives. solve all the problems in the cooperative sector. The work of removing obstacles in India: “Around 60,000 gram panchayats for food storage facilities in every village, this sector is being done at a rapid pace did not have any cooperative societies. Shri Verma tweeted: “Till now, there was under the leadership of Prime Minister The 2023-24 General Budget announced only 47% food storage facility in India. Shri Narendra Modi and Union Home and the setting up of 2 lakh new PACS and The central government has a target of Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah.” dairy-fishery cooperatives in uncovered reaching 100% food storage capacity.” villages and panchayats over the next “The computerization of 63,000 5 years. By making these cooperatives Shri Verma further said that Shri Modi functional Primary Agricultural Credit omnipresent and all-inclusive, work is coming up with the world’s largest Societies (PACS) pan India is being will be done for the welfare of all the food storage scheme, so that food grains implemented with an investment of ₹2,516 underprivileged sections of society.” of farmers are not wasted at the gram crore. The project entails bringing all the panchayat level. functional PACS onto ERP (Enterprise On the measures being taken to Resource Planning) based common expand the work of cooperatives, “Arrangements are being made at the software, linking them with NABARD Shri Verma tweeted: “With the PACS level for storage facilities. Farmers through State Cooperative Banks (StCBs) implementation and computerization of will not only be able to safely store their and District Central Cooperative Banks the modern bye-laws for cooperatives, food grains but can also take them out (DCCBs),” he further said in the Tweet. we are now on our way to make those of the godowns at their convenience PACS multipurpose. We have entered and sell them at a competitive price. The The roots of cooperatives date into an agreement to reform PACS, and central government is also setting up the back to pre-Independence times. After Common Service Centres (CSCs) spread world’s largest cooperative university, Independence, cooperatives became an across the country will also be able to where teaching and training related to integral part of Five-Year Plans (FYPs). work like PACS.” Referring to the proposal the cooperative sector will be carried Today, the cooperative movement out,” Shri Verma added. ¿¿¿ is contributing to strengthening the country’s economy. The Modi government created the new Ministry of Cooperation to provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country. The central government has made the development of cooperatives the main basis of national development, while also creating harmony between all the states. Shri Verma also tweeted about the development of primary cooperatives in 18 Sahkar Uday June 2023 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Achievements IFFCO is No. 1 Cooperative in The World! Sahkar Uday Team n IFFCO ranks first among 300 cooperatives in the world in the 11th Annual Report of the International Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Cooperative Alliance. Limited (IFFCO) has been ranked No. 1 among the Top 300 cooperatives in world’s first “Nano Urea” liquid and of the largest cooperatives worldwide, the world. “Nano DAP” liquid with an aim to ranks the Top 300, and analyses their reducing the use of chemical fertilizers responses to current global challenges. The ranking is based on the ratio and increase crop productivity. This of turnover to gross domestic product is a big step towards sustainable Two Indian cooperatives have (GDP) per capita. The ranking is as per agriculture. made it to the first and second places. the 2022 edition of the 11th Annual These are the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Report published by the International IFFCO’s Nano DAP has been Cooperative (IFFCO) and the Gujarat Cooperative Alliance (ICA). developed keeping in mind Shri Modi’s Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation initiative of “Atmanirbhar Krishi, Limited. IFFCO has been contributing Atmanirbhar Bharat” to enhance significantly to India’s GDP and farmers’ income in the country. Dr. US Awasthi, Managing Director economic growth. of IFFCO, said that it is a proud moment IFFCO also secured the 1st position for IFFCO and a great achievement for Its footprint in the global among the Top 10 cooperatives in the all in the Indian cooperative movement. cooperative movement is inspired by world in the agriculture sector. He further said that IFFCO is realizing Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s the vision of prosperity with Shri Modi’s vision of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi”, and is The International Cooperative and Shri Amit Shah’s cooperation. guided by the able leadership of Union Alliance (ICA) and the European Home and Cooperation Minister Shri Research Institute on Cooperative IFFCO has always been committed Amit Shah. and Social Enterprises (EURICSE) to the development of farmers across launched the 2022 edition of the the country and taking the Indian According to the 2022 edition of World Cooperative Monitor during an cooperative movement to the remotest the 11th Annual World Cooperative international webinar. village in the country and IFFCO believes Monitor report published by ICA, IFFCO that innovation and digitization are keys ranks among the largest cooperatives in This is the Alliance’s 10th report that to success, Dr. Awasthi said. ¿¿¿ the world. explores the economic and social impact Recently, IFFCO developed the June 2023 Sahkar Uday 19

New Beginnings Nano-Fertilizers India’s Answer to Global Food Crisis IFFCO’s Nano Urea to revolutionize the way of indian farming. By Ank Anjalideep crisis looming over the world. plant cells, it stimulates and enhances Let’s first understand the problem various mechanisms resulting in better India, like the whole world, was growth and development. It also helps in suffering from food insecurity in the posed by traditional fertilizers. the secretion of various enzymes which 1960s, and ‘70s and, to overcome Traditional fertilizers are chemically helps in making available other nutrients this crisis, our country adopted new produced and introduce elements in the and also improves soil health. technologies such as hybrid seeds and soil that are not there naturally. Among chemical fertilizers. all the elements, nitrogen is the most Field Trials essential element required for crop This quality of “Nano Urea” was The Indian Farmers Fertiliser growth. But 40-60% of the total nitrogen established after 11,000 field trials on 43 Cooperative (IFFCO) was set up as a applied (through chemical fertilizers) crops by National Agriculture Research chemical fertilizer company during this into the soil is not absorbed by plants System (NARS). These trials show that time and has played an important role and remains in the soil, from where it a 500ml bottle of IFFCO Nano Urea at in maintaining India’s status as a food- transfers to groundwater and air in the ₹225 each can effectively replace a 45 surplus nation. Now that India is moving form of nitrous oxide. This causes soil, kg bag of traditional urea and, at the towards becoming the “food bowl of the water, and air pollution. same time, increase the crop yield by world”, IFFCO needed a reliable partner around 8%. The smaller packaging saves and tied up with the Indian Council of IFFCO invented “Nano Urea” to solve a lot on transportation costs and storage Agricultural Research (ICAR), Ministry of this problem. One single particle of space that traditional fertilizers occupy. Agriculture, in 2019. urea is equivalent to 55,000 nano urea Till the 1900s, the world population particles. These particles are delivered was stagnant, and countries were often Nano Urea is Big Deal! directly to the plant, thereby releasing plagued by food shortages and famine. IFFCO represents millions of farmers nitrogen directly inside the cells of the This all changed when German physicist and has come up with an innovation that saplings. Once the nano-nutrient reaches can squarely address the global food 20 Sahkar Uday June 2023

New Beginnings Fritz Haber invented the chemical Aids in plant nutrition process to produce ammonia, eventually Assured increase in farmers’ income giving birth to chemical fertilizers. Now, Increases crop yield with the new chemical fertilizers in the Cheaper than conventional urea kitty of farmers, most countries could Enhance soil quality produce enough food stocks to feed Helps in cost reduction their populations for the first time, apart from enjoying surpluses. Due to this the India moving towards flowering, which ultimately leads to world population boomed, in the mid- enhanced crop quality and yield. Like 20th Century, reaching 8 billion, or 800 becoming the ‘food Nano Urea, Nano DAP is offered in 500 crore, today. bowl of the world’. ml bottles of ₹600 each. But this revolution came with traditionally dependent on China and Centre’s Boost a catch -- efficient production of Eastern Europe for the supply. Now, The central government has chemical fertilizers necessitates the these countries are looking to India to committed to popularizing Nano setting up of large manufacturing supply them this essential commodity. fertilizers in the country through plants and a large quantity of raw This is why IFFCO has generated extensive media campaigns. Also, materials is needed to run them. To interest among foreign nations, signing National Fertilizers Limited (NFL) and set up these plants, a large amount MoUs with cooperative and private Rashtriya Chemicals and Fertilizers Ltd of capital investment is necessary, organizations to set up plants in those (RCF), have signed a contract with IFFCO which is beyond the reach of nations countries. The cost of setting up a Nano for license production of Nano Urea with weak economies. Thus, most of Urea plant is also lower than that of a (Liquid) and will soon come up with their the fertilizer plants are concentrated traditional fertilizer plant. own plants. The President of India, Smt. in nations with large economies and Droupadi Murmu, while addressing the resources. Due to the current Russia- IFFCO also invented “Nano DAP” joint Parliament session on January 31, Ukraine War, and before that due to (Liquid), which got the approval of the 2023, called it a great scientific feat in the Covid-19 pandemic, global supply Department of Agriculture Cooperation the field of agriculture. chains took a massive hit. This has in March 2023. Nano DAP is suitable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi become a huge problem for countries for all crops as a seed primer, growth and Union Minister of Home Affairs and that are completely dependent on enhancer, productivity and quality Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah foreign manufacturers for fertilizers. booster. Some of the key benefits of have also highlighted the need for Nano Also, many economies are yet to this formulation are supplementing Urea on several occasions. IFFCO’s Nano recover from the Covid-19 pandemic, seed germination, vigorous seedling Urea and Nano DAP will not only help India hence incapable of affording costly growth, improved root development, become the “food bowl of the world”, fertilizer imports. strong plant growth, and increased but also they will help revolutionize the way human beings farm. ¿¿¿ Nano Urea to the Rescue! Recently, Sri Lanka banned chemical (Assistant Manager, IFFCO, India) fertilizers because their economy could not support foreign imports. IFFCO’s Nano Urea came to the rescue and an emergency supply of 2,00,000 bottles was airlifted to Colombo, Sri Lanka, on 20th October 2021. Other Asian and African nations are also facing acute fertilizer shortages, as they were June 2023 Sahkar Uday 21

Commendable Initiative Cooperatives to Give Impetus to PM KUSUM Scheme n PM KUSUM to provide solar tube wells to 20 lakh farmers. n PACS will play an important role in completing the plan. Sahkar Uday Team ministry of Cooperation will implement entrusted to the Primary Agricultural the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Urja Suraksha Credit Societies (PACS). The central and state governments evam Utthaan Mahabhiyan (PM- are working on several agricultural KUSUM) scheme in cooperatives to take Launched in the year 2019, a target schemes to reduce farmers’ forward Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s has been set to extend the benefits of expenses and increase their income. resolution of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi.” this scheme to 20 lakh farmers. Under Under the guidance of Union Home This important responsibility has been PM KUSUM Yojana the central and state and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah governments together provide huge 22 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Commendable Initiative How to get the benefit Provisions laid down in the plan Under this scheme, applications ÜEach farmer will receive a 60% electricity generated from their can be made for the purchase subsidy to set up tube wells and solar panels. This will provide of solar power plants with a them with additional income. capacity of 0.5 MW to 2 MW. pump sets. They will also get ÜA landholder in a rural area Farmers will be able to apply as can get a stable source of per their requirement or based 30% of the total cost as a loan income by utilising barren and on capacity notified by the from the government. uncultivated land for solar plant distribution corporation. ÜFarmers can take 30% of their implementation for 25 years. total expenditure as loans from ÜThe scheme ensures increasing subsidies to the farmers. This scheme is the use of renewable energy to expected to strengthen the rural economy. NABARD, banks and other help mitigate pollution in farms and open a gateway to eco- Pradhan Mantri KUSUM scheme financial institutions. Farmers friendly cultivation. Irrigation accounts for the largest need to bear only 10% of the cost share of cultivation and availability total cost to install solar plants of solar pumps for irrigation will save both electricity and labour for the and solar pumps. farmers. This scheme will help bring life ÜFarmers can also sell the to barren land by irrigating it with the help of solar energy. ¿¿¿ Required Documents It is mandatory to have the following documents if a farmer wants to take advantage of PM KUSUM scheme in this Kharif season: ÜFarmer’s Aadhaar Card. ÜRation card. ÜKYC of the applicant farmer. ÜPassport size photo. ÜBank account passbook. ÜMobile number June 2023 Sahkar Uday 23

Achievements IFFCO Project Brings Greenery to Barren Pratapgarh This project changed the lives of 1,50,000 poverty-stricken Bhil and Meena tribes living in 400 villages here in just 6 years. Sahkar Uday Team The main objectives of the project were to conserve surface water, develop groundwater Before 1999, most villages of resources and provide sustainable livelihood Pratapgarh district in Rajasthan faced severe drought conditions. through soil water conservation. With no signs of rain, the barren fields parched and cracked, farmers here were vegetables. Their farms turned green for this effort under the livelihood in deep despair. and their lives returned to normal. category of The Times of India. A large number of them migrated This project changed the lives of The main objectives of the project out of the area due to lack of 1,50,000 poverty-stricken Bhil and were to conserve surface water, sustainable means of livelihood. In Meena tribes living in 400 villages here develop groundwater resources and such desperate conditions, IFFCO in just 6 years. IFFCO was awarded provide sustainable livelihood through came to the rescue when, in 1999, its the “Social Impact Award” in 2011-12 soil water conservation. subsidiary organization, Indian Farm Forestry Development Cooperative Limited (IFFDC), launched Western India Rainfed Farming Project (WIRFP) in the area. IFFCO constructed 49 dams and 104 anicuts, with an average height of 6.5 feet and an average water storage capacity of 67,600 cubic metres. Farmers, most of them tribals, could now grow several food grains and 24 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Achievements IFFCO constructed 49 dams and 104 anicuts, with an average height of 6.5 feet and an average water storage capacity of 67,600 cubic metres. IFFCO’s dams and anicuts led to the eye could see. now earning well by operating sewing the irrigation of an average of 95 acres Due to the availability of plentiful machines, making incense sticks, etc, of land. in these SHGs. water now, cotton cultivation has Soybean, maize, mustard, wheat, become profitable. Compared to Today, these cooperatives have gram, cotton, paddy and vegetables 25 quintals per hectare earlier, enough deposits to easily take loans now grow at those very villages where, production has now increased to from banks of their choice. More earlier, there was barren land as far as 40 quintals per hectare. The yield than 1,000 trained experts help in the of Rabi crops increased from 7% implementation and monitoring of to 27% of the total agricultural rural cooperative programs. produce here. Food grains can be easily sold at the committee level at Under the IFFCO project, there are a good price. now 104 anicuts, 49 earthen dams, 230 ponds, and 515 farm ponds in this IFFCO also formed 939 Self region. Help Groups (SHGs) and 22 Primary Livelihood Development Cooperative This is the story of human resilience Societies (PLDCS) in the villages, which which, if given a helping hand, can turn are functioning today. barren land into an unending landscape of greenery and well-being. The women of Pratapgarh are ¿¿¿ June 2023 Sahkar Uday 25

New Beginnings IFFCO to Export Nano Urea to 25 Nations IFFCO Nano Urea World’s first Nano fertilizer Helps in cost Enhance soil Aids in plant reduction quality nutrition Assured increase in Increases crop Cheaper than farmers’ income yield conventional urea Sahkar Uday Team from them. Numerous other nations are which is equivalent to 135 lakh tonnes of in the process of giving approvals, with urea. This will facilitate the replacement Nano Urea has the potential to Brazil already having done so.” of all the imports of urea fertilizer and reduce the consumption of lead to huge foreign exchange savings,” conventional urea, the most “We are exporting through a he said. commonly used nitrogen fertilizer, by cooperative and will need to set up 50% or more. After Prime Minister Shri 2-3 facilities for exports alone. We On February 4, Union Home Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the world’s are working on one more plant in the Shri Amit Shah laid the foundation stone first Nano Urea plant at Kalol in Gujarat south, and one more in the east. For the for a ₹450 crore Nano Urea plant on 30 last year, IFFCO is exporting the fertilizer location of others, the Government of acres, along with a township of IFFCO, in to 5 nations. India will be consulted as it is a strategic Jharkhand’s Deoghar. decision,” he said. Shri U. S. Awasthi, Managing Director A 500 ml bottle of Nano Urea (liquid) and CEO of IFFCO (Indian Farmers Shri Awasthi further stated that in can effectively replace a 45 kg bag of Fertiliser Cooperative Limited), said in addition to the factory in Gujarat, 2 urea, and it is 16% cheaper. It is also a recent interview: “We have already other facilities have been built in Uttar totally environment-friendly, with zero produced 6 crore bottles of 500 ml each Pradesh in Bareilly and Prayagraj, and nitrogen oxide emissions. and have sold 5 crore units to farmers, the 4th facility built in Bangalore is likely which is equivalent to 22 lakh tonnes to be completed sometime in September Nano Urea is expected to reduce of solid urea or conventional urea. We this year. the “imbalanced and excessive use” are already exporting the product to of conventional fertilizer, while also Sri Lanka, Nepal, Kenya, Suriname and After the commissioning of the increasing crop productivity, soil health, Mexico.” 5th Nano Urea plant in Jharkhand by and increasing the nutritional quality December 2024, the output of this of crops. The spray of Nano Urea Shri Awasthi said: “We have shipped product will reach 30 crore bottles, he particles on leaves results in higher Nano Urea samples to 25 additional said. “By December 2024, IFFCO will yield and hence, the soil does not get countries, and we anticipate demand produce 30 crore bottles of Nano Urea, contaminated. ¿¿¿ 26 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Book Review The Rise of IFFCO in the cooperative world It is the biography of US Awasthi, which weaves a rich tapestry of his memoirs to give an account of the cooperative society he nourished and took to the very pinnacle. Rohit Kumar the last 30 years. This book is not only by setting up state-of-the-art fertilizer important for IFFCO members, but it plants across India and even outside Dr. Uday Shankar Awasthi, is even more significant for those who the country. Dr. Awasthi, popularly Managing Director and CEO of want to stand out from the ordinary and known as the “ultimate well-wisher of the Indian Farmers Fertilizer Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), is one make a mark for themselves.” farmers in India and the world”, has of the top leaders who gave a positive made meaningful interventions in the direction to the cooperative movement fields of sustainable agriculture and in India. environmental protection through IFFCO is a multi-state cooperative activities like soil conservation society engaged in the business of campaigns, neem plantations, and manufacturing and marketing fertilizers organic farming. Under him, IFFCO on a large scale. The bold and far-reaching invented revolutionary fertilizers like aspirations and accomplishments of Dr Nano Urea and Nano DAP. Awasthi, who garnered farmers’ trust Dr. Awasthi developed self-reliance across India and took IFFCO to new among farmers, rural women and youth heights of success, have been compiled across the country through associate in two books -- in H​​ indi and English organizations such as Indian Farm languages, by two separate authors. Forestry Development Cooperative The books, “Sangharsh Ka Sukh” Limited (IFFDC), Cooperative Rural and “The Joys of Crisis”, depict IFFCO’s Development Trust (CORDET), Kisan progress along with the life journey Sanchar and IFFCO ‘Yuva’. of Dr. Awasthi. “Sangharsh Ka Sukh” He has been setting new records by Abhishek Saurabh is in Hindi and is of success and is making special published by Rajkamal Prakashan Group. Both these books contain authentic contributions to promote the economic Well-known biographer Aarnab Mitra narrations of the highs and lows, and social development of the rural has written “The Joys of Crisis: How U.S. challenges and achievements, in the areas of the country through his pro- Awasthi Scripted the Rise of IFFCO” in personal and professional life of Dr. farmer IFFCO initiatives. Dr. Awasthi’s English, which is published by Rupa Awasthi, while leading IFFCO, the unwavering loyalty towards the Indian Prakashan Pvt Ltd. Both these books were world’s largest cooperative society in farmers and his will and ability to released recently at IFFCO’s 52nd Annual the fertilizer sector, for the last three develop new and innovative products in General Meeting held in Delhi on May 30. decades. It is this consistency and the country’s interest has enabled IFFCO Speaking at the book launch, Dilip solidity that has helped him ensure to fulfil Prime Minister Shri Narendra Sanghani, present Chairman of IFFCO, IFFCO’s rapid growth and diversification. Modi’s dream of “Atmanirbhar Bharat”. said: “This book truly traces the life Under his leadership, IFFCO carved Dr Awasthi is the true architect of journey of a visionary who has taken a new identity as the world’s leading IFFCO’s success in realizing the Prime IFFCO to the top of the world. It also cooperative. This cooperative has Minister’s avowed mission of “Sahakar delineates IFFCO’s success story during empowered and enriched Indian farmers Se Samriddhi”. ¿¿¿ June 2023 Sahkar Uday 27

Policy Maker Gujrat Woman Shifts to Pea Farming, Profits by 15,000 Sahkar Uday Team Most residents of the n Gitaben takes a calculated risk and drops traditional cotton agricultural district of farming for peas. Sabarkantha in Gujarat are small and marginal farmers engaged in n Now making a profit of ₹40,000 - ₹45,000 per crop cycle. cotton and wheat cultivation. that the cost of pea seeds is considerably cycles. After keeping some of the produce With a GDP per capita of just ₹1.45 less than cotton seeds. Also, the maturity for her own household, she took the lakh, it is one of India’s most backward taken by pea crops is much less than that rest to the nearest market in Vadali, a districts, according to the Ministry of of cotton and can be harvested multiple neighboring taluka in Sabarkantha district. Panchayati Raj. times in a year. Although the labour Here, she was able to get ₹31 per kg in the necessary to raise pea crops is also very first cycle, ₹20 per kg in the second, and Gitaben Harshbhai, a resident of high, it is not more than that of the cotton ₹18 per kg in the third cycle. On being Bambodi village in Sabarkantha, however, crop, as the pea crop requires only 15 days asked whether the profitability declined decided to take a calculated risk and drop of intensive labour. due to less amount per kg each time, she traditional cotton farming for peas. She is replied she was still able to make good now making a profit of ₹40,000 to ₹45,000 As for fertilizers, Gitaben used Farm profits. per crop cycle, almost ₹15,000 more than Yard Manure (FYM), which, being easily what she was making through cotton. available everywhere including her own Today, Gitaben’s success has inspired She has thus become an inspiration for household, didn’t add to her costs. Pea is farmers in her village, as well as those in farmers in her village. In conversation with also prone to pests and requires pesticides, the surrounding areas, who are slowly Shri NS Patel (then SMM, IFFCO, Gujarat), but Gitaben needed to spray it only twice following in her footsteps. Her story can Gitaben said Gujarat is not among the in the life cycle of one crop. Hence, shifting serve as an example to women farmers major producers of pea and 2 years prior to pea cultivation immediately brought across India, who now know that taking to shifting to pea farming, Gitaben too was down fertilizer and pesticide costs and calculated agricultural risks may lead to involved in cotton farming. saved her a lot of money. good profits too. Gitaben took a small step but even such a small step in unchartered However, she felt that she was not Gitaben was able to get a high crop territory is a big achievement. ¿¿¿ getting the best out of her 1 bigha (0.3 harvest of around 300 kg for three crop acre) plot. Cotton might be a commercial crop but it is very labour-intensive, and her 5-member family couldn’t keep up with the needs of the crop and were dependent on expensive hired labor. Cotton crops are also prone to diseases and dependent on chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Due to all these issues, she could make a profit of only ₹25,000 from its cultivation. Gitaben then decided to shift to pea cultivation. She went to the market to procure seeds and was surprised to know 28 Sahkar Uday June 2023

Initiative The cooperative will produceA land mark initiative of cooperative department in Uttarakhand crops on barren land Sahkar Uday Team because consolidation is not possible cooperative farming all those problems in Uttarakhand. Therefore, after the which used to come to the fore at the In Uttarakhand, through cooperative initiative of the Ministry of Cooperatives, time of consolidation will be removed. farming, the barren land will be cooperative farming will be started here. Farming will be started by the people productive for crafts. Through this For such initiative, the government will left in the village at present. If there is initiative, cooperative Primary Agriculture provide land lease assistance to the a shortage of people, PACS will also Credit Societies (PACS) will take the land farmers for 30 years. outsource labour for this. to the surrounding barrens on lease for 30 years. The collective farming will be The advantage of this will be that the In the last 22 years, 1.49 lakh hectares done on these barren lands. A collective farmers will not have the fear of their land of land became barren in Uttarakhand. efforts will be made to implement this being encroached upon and secondly, scheme with the help of Cooperative they will continue to get the benefits of At the time of the formation of Department, Agriculture Department and the crops grown on their fields even while the state in the year 2000-01, the area Horticulture Department. Cooperative sitting far away. Ministry of Cooperation of cultivable land in Uttarakhand was farming has got successful results in through the PACS Committee started this 7.70 lakh hectares. In the last 22 years, Mogi village of Jaunpur block of Tehri pilot project from Mogi village of Tehri. there has been a decrease of 1.49 state. It will now be started in the entire After the completion of this pilot project, lakh hectares in the cultivable land. Uttarakhand state. it will now be implemented in the entire The area of barren land has increased state. A project proposal has been invited in the last 22 years. There are many Government will bring back the for it from a village in 13 blocks. In the first important reasons for this decline in the splendor of the mountains through phase such villages of each block will be agricultural sector. Population migration, cooperative farming. Cooperative identified where barren land is more. educational institutions, growth of Secretary BRC Purushottam said that it has industries, construction of roads and been seen that the problem of migration The PACS Committee of the Ministry rapid development work have been is being opposed in Uttarakhand. Youth of Cooperatives will take on lease considered important factors behind are leaving the fertile land and going about 1000 drain land lying barren in this. To increase the agricultural area, to the city in search of livelihood. So, the village for the next 30 years and this effort of PACS in collaboration with the responsibility of farming has come collective farming will be done on it. the Ministry of Cooperation will once on the elders or women. This is the It may be known that earlier the plan again promote cultivation in fallow land reason why barren mountains are seen of consolidation in Uttarakhand could in a systematic manner, which is likely to instead of greenery in most of the places, not be successful. So, now through yield successful results. ¿¿¿ June 2023 Sahkar Uday 29

Guest Column Cooperatives as Catalyst for Transformation of Villages Veer Pratap Singh The roots of cooperatives are poor, landless and unemployed. Cooperative societies getting stronger in every village The central government is serious have become an of the country and the lives of important part farmers, labourers and workers are about the backward states in the of farmers’ lives improving drastically. cooperative movement and has formed in India. Through a separate ministry that will help in cooperatives, These changes are not only helping reviving this sector. It has also taken villages to develop but also bringing several important decisions to revive farmers not only get prosperity to the lives of farmers and and activate PACS in villages and their the means of farming other villagers collectively. implementation is in active progress. – seeds, fertilizers, The condition of Primary Agricultural Cooperative societies have become equipment, technical Credit Societies (PACS) in states such as an important part of farmers’ lives in Eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, India. Through cooperatives, farmers assistance and Odisha and Chhattisgarh was far from not only get the means of farming – guidance – but also satisfactory. seeds, fertilizers, equipment, technical increase the quantity assistance and guidance – but also and quality of their With the efforts of the central increase the quantity and quality of produce by knowing government to change village their produce by knowing the methods economies, there is a new awareness of advanced agriculture. the methods and enthusiasm among farmers and of advanced their roles are changing in a rapidly At the initiative of the Union agriculture. developing India. Ministry of Cooperation, cooperative societies are moving fast in the direction up a National Cooperative University to The small, marginalized farmer who of storage and marketing of crops. is the food provider of the country, increase public awareness in the field of is now also contributing to India’s By connecting crores of farmers at development by becoming the architect the district, state and national levels cooperatives and to provide skilled and of Shri Narendra Modi’s “Sahakar Se with cooperative societies at the village Samriddhi”. level, the cooperatives are greatly trained manpower to the cooperative facilitating the work of farmers. A single The cooperative sector can prove to small farmer found it difficult to make sector. be a boon for the livelihood of the rural a living from agriculture due to the lack of resources. Now, by joining these In addition, the central government By connecting crores of cooperative societies, farmers support farmers at the district, each other and make a living through has decided to form three new National their agricultural activities, including state and national livestock breeding and fisheries. Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS). levels with cooperative societies at the village The central government has The central government is also giving FPO level, the cooperatives taken several positive steps for the are greatly facilitating empowerment of the cooperative status to PACS. India has a cooperative sector. The central government is setting the work of farmers. heritage that was being ignored for some reason, but the Modi government has given it a new lease of life. ¿¿¿ President, Bhartiya Kisan Vikas Multipurpose Cooperative Society, Lucknow 30 Sahkar Uday June 2023

A soil testing program was organized in Wazirganj, in which IFFCO organized a cooperative training program in Narela about 52 farmers participated. Farmers were given detailed in which all cooperative societies and retail dealers of Delhi participated. It gave information about its Nano DAP and information about the importance and methods of soil Nano Urea in the program. testing. The Gujarat government launched the Emergency Response Certificates were distributed to 25 participants (Chairman/ Directors of UCBs and Credit Societies) who attended LDP at Vehicle (Rakshak) given to Amreli Municipal Council. NIRB (National Institute of Rural Banking), Bengaluru. Discussions were held about the emergency services of “Rakshak” at the launch. Monrudi Somart, Advisor to the Ministry of Education NABARD and Gujarat State Cooperative Union organized and Agriculture, Government of Thailand visited the NCUI a training program on the use of computers for service Incubation Center and appreciated its holistic and inclusive cooperatives of the Amreli district. approach to training in order to empower women in need. June 2023 Sahkar Uday 31

Success Through Cooperatives Cooperatives are now registered buyers on GeM. Procurement to become efficient and faster with economies of scale. Common man will benefit from the honest purchase of goods and services. Credibility of cooperatives will increase through transparent procurement. IFFCO Nano Urea (Liquid) and IFFCO Nano DAP (Liquid) IFFCO Nano’s Vow, Profit More, Price Low. Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited IFFCO Sadan, C-1, District Centre, Saket Palace, New Delhi-110017 32 Sahkar Uday June 2023 Postal Registration No.: DL(S)-18/3559/2023-25 Published on 16-06-2023 Applied for RNI Registration/Exempted for Six Months vide ADG Posts Letter No.22-1/2023-PO, dt.21-04-2023