NCDC to support State’s coop sector

The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has said that it would provide all support to the cooperative sector in Odisha for enhancing productivity and creating more employment opportunities.

“Odisha has created a great potential for productive and marketing activities through cooperative societies. The NCDC will provide supports for further growth,” said NCDC Managing Director Sundeep Kumar Nayak after attending a meeting held under chairmanship of Chief Secretary AP Padhi here on Tuesday. Nayak said the NCDC can provide financial assistance in shape of loan to State Government and public sector owned marketing federations for the sector in Odisha.

Padhi said Odisha has already initiated a process for exploring new opportunities in cooperative sector for generation of new employment opportunities and for fetching more income to the producers.

Padhi directed various departments to make assessment of the growth potential through cooperative structures. Development Commiossioner R Balakrishnan advised the departments to make a realistic assessment and visualize concrete projects with resource requirement.

The meeting deliberated on flourishing of cooperative activities in the sectors and trades like Odisha’s regional cuisine, micro irrigation, truck-mounted processing facilities at farm gates within easy reach of the farmers, agro forestry, organic vegetables, inland and coastal fishery, fish marketing, salt production, diary, paddy procurement and processing, animal husbandry, hospitality and tourism. It was decided that the Cooperation Department would carry forward ICDP initiatives as the nodal department.

Among others, Agriculture Production Commissioner Gagan Kumar Dhal, Cooperation Secretary Ranjana Chopra, Tourism Principal Secretary Mona Sharma, F and ARD Secretary Vishal Gagan, Textiles and Handloom Secretary Subha Sharma, W and CD Secretary Chitra Arumugam and NCDC senior officers participated.