The minister strongly defended the government’s decision to name the university after Patel, noting that though his contributions are massive, Patel chose humility over publicity.
At an event marking the International Year of Cooperatives 2025, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah held a ‘Sahkar Samvad’ with women cooperative workers from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan in Ahmedabad. The dialogue highlighted a range of ambitious plans aimed at transforming rural livelihoods and strengthening the cooperative movement across India.
Addressing a large gathering of women engaged in cooperative sectors, Shah underscored the historic contributions of Tribhuvandas Patel, whom he described as the father of India’s cooperative movement, and announced the establishment of the “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University in Anand district, Gujarat. The institution, named in Patel’s honour, is envisioned to produce a new generation of professionals to further the cooperative agenda in India.
“Tribhuvandas Ji laid the foundation of the cooperative spirit in its true sense,” Shah said. “His work enabled over 36 lakh women in Gujarat alone to engage in business worth ₹80,000 crore, largely through cooperative platforms like Amul.”
The minister strongly defended the government’s decision to name the university after Patel, noting that though his contributions are massive, Patel chose humility over publicity. “Even in Parliament, people asked who this man was. That’s the greatness of Tribhuvandas Patel – he didn’t seek fame but created it,” Shah remarked.
Strengthening the Dairy Sector
Shah outlined a multi-faceted strategy to boost rural incomes through the dairy sector, emphasising better dung management, animal health, and natural resource optimisation. He revealed that in the coming months, cooperative dairies would start leveraging cow dung to produce organic manure and biogas, creating an additional revenue stream for farmers.
He stated that a system will soon be in place to ensure that 400 out of every 500 families involved in milk production in a village are associated with a cooperative. These cooperatives will also manage animal vaccination and dung utilization. “Within six months, these ideas will take a concrete shape and be implemented nationwide,” Shah confirmed.
As a tribute to Patel, he urged all milk cooperatives to display his portrait and educate new generations about his visionary contributions to India’s cooperative ecosystem.
Expanding the Role of PACS
Shah also spoke about Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), describing them as potential hubs for rural development. He noted that PACS are now connected with Common Service Centres (CSC), Micro ATMs, Har Ghar Nal, Bank Mitra, and more than 25 such initiatives, following recent bylaw amendments.
He encouraged PACS to diversify their services and urged villagers to be made aware of Jan Aushadhi Kendras that provide affordable medicines. “It’s essential that people in rural areas know they can buy medicine at much cheaper rates through these centres,” he said.
Maximizing Market Opportunities
Turning to crop cultivation, Shah advised maize and pulses farmers to register on the NCCF app, which allows institutions like NABARD and NCCF to procure directly at Minimum Support Price (MSP). “If the market offers better rates, farmers can still choose to sell in the open market,” he said, emphasizing the flexibility and profitability of the scheme.
He also highlighted the growing demand for organic wheat, encouraging farmers to adopt natural farming practices and sell their produce via the National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL) platform to secure significantly higher prices.
Natural Farming for a Sustainable Future
Speaking passionately about natural farming, Shah described it as a scientific practice that not only preserves soil and water but also increases crop yields. Sharing personal experience, he said his own field witnessed a 1.5 time increase in production after switching to natural farming.
“Natural farming keeps you away from chemicals and closer to health,” he remarked. He elaborated on how earthworms serve as nature’s own fertilizer factories, turning soil into rich compost without the use of urea or DAP.
The Cooperative Ministry, he added, has already formed national-level cooperative bodies to facilitate both the purchase and export of produce cultivated through natural methods. Profits from exports will be directly transferred to farmers’ bank accounts, ensuring transparency and benefit to the producers.
Camel Milk Scheme and Future Plans
In a significant announcement for Rajasthan and Gujarat, Shah revealed ongoing research into the medicinal properties of camel milk. He said the two state governments would soon jointly launch a camel milk value chain initiative, designed to boost prices for camel herders and conserve the native camel breeds.
As the event concluded, Shah reflected on his dual roles. “Being Home Minister is a matter of pride, especially as Sardar Patel once held this post. But when I became Minister of Cooperation, I felt I got an even bigger responsibility – one that directly touches the lives of India’s poor, farmers, and animals,” he said. He announced plans to organize ten more cooperative chaupals in three states each to gather grassroots suggestions that will shape future policies under the Ministry of Cooperation.
