Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami Plans to Boost Uttarakhand’s Agriculture and Cooperative Schemes
During a review of the Cooperative Department at the Secretariat, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami issued directives to strengthen long-running schemes and incorporate innovative strategies. He emphasized the need for a collaborative approach with the Planning Department to assess benefits and explore special innovations.
Dhami called for proposals to increase loan limits for self-help groups and improve market access for their products. He urged the Cooperative Department to work with other relevant departments to advance these schemes.
Highlighting agricultural development, Dhami directed efforts to identify barren land for cultivation and promote modern and traditional farming methods. He aims to increase agricultural production in rural areas and promote crops like millets, vegetables, pulses, fruits, medicinal plants, and agricultural tourism.
Dhami also stressed the importance of promoting millet products and supporting reverse migration by creating livelihood opportunities for local communities. He instructed officials to expand selected clusters in various districts and set higher targets for fisheries, beekeeping, and mushroom production under the State Integrated Cooperative Development Project.
Cooperation Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat shared that under the Deen Dayal Upadhyay Cooperative Farmers Welfare Scheme, the state government has allocated Rs 85 crore for interest reimbursement in the financial year 2024-25. The aim is to distribute Rs 1300 crore in interest-free loans to approximately 1,90,000 cooperative members this fiscal year. So far, Rs 5621.25 crore has been distributed to 960,510 beneficiaries and 5339 self-help groups, benefiting over 50,000 farmers directly and indirectly through the State Integrated Cooperative Development Project, which also promotes organic farming.
Doubts Revealed
Chief Minister -: A Chief Minister is the head of the government in an Indian state, similar to a principal in a school but for the whole state.
Pushkar Singh Dhami -: Pushkar Singh Dhami is the current Chief Minister of Uttarakhand, a state in northern India.
Uttarakhand -: Uttarakhand is a state in northern India known for its beautiful mountains and rivers.
Agriculture -: Agriculture is the practice of farming, which includes growing crops and raising animals for food and other products.
Cooperative Schemes -: Cooperative schemes are programs where people work together to achieve common goals, like farmers sharing resources to grow crops.
Cooperative Department -: The Cooperative Department is a part of the government that helps people work together in groups to improve their businesses and lives.
Self-help groups -: Self-help groups are small groups of people who come together to support each other, often by saving money and giving loans to each other.
Market access -: Market access means the ability to sell products in different places, like shops or online.
Millet products -: Millet products are foods made from millet, a type of grain that is healthy and grows well in dry areas.
Cooperation Minister -: The Cooperation Minister is a government official who helps people work together in cooperative schemes.
Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat -: Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat is the Cooperation Minister in Uttarakhand, working with Chief Minister Dhami.
Rs 1300 crore -: Rs 1300 crore is a large amount of money, where 1 crore equals 10 million rupees, the currency of India.
Interest-free loans -: Interest-free loans are loans where you only pay back the amount you borrowed, without any extra charges.
Fiscal year -: A fiscal year is a 12-month period used for budgeting and financial planning, like a school year but for money.
