ITANAGAR, 5 Jul: Governor KT Parnaik encouraged the Arunachal Pradesh State Cooperative Union (APSCU) to focus on strengthening grassroots cooperatives and promoting self-reliance among rural communities.
He said this during a meeting with an APSCU team, led by its chairman Nabam Tahi Nekil, at the Raj Bhavan here on Saturday.
The governor reiterated that the cooperative movement must evolve into a people-centric initiative driven by collective ownership and shared benefit.
He underlined the importance of enabling the cooperative societies to find access to wider markets, particularly outside the state, to ensure better value for Arunachal Pradesh’ surplus agricultural and horticultural produce.
Recognizing the potential of local produce, especially perishable items, Parnaik suggested setting up more warehouses, cold storages, and effective utilization of the Hollongi and Tezu airports as export gateways to boost trade and income for farmers and growers.
The meeting also discussed the current landscape, challenges facing cooperative societies, and the future course of the cooperative movement in the state, including the opportunities available to empower cooperatives.
Listening to the specific challenges being faced by cooperative societies in different parts of the state, the governor assured the APSCU chairman of his support, and committed to take up relevant issues with the state government for necessary action. He said that “a shared commitment is necessary to advance the cooperative movement as a key driver of inclusive socioeconomic development in Arunachal Pradesh.”
Nekil presented the governor with the report of the recently concluded 27th district cooperative union tour, highlighting field observations, progress, and areas needing policy and administrative attention.
Bengia Chuma, Techi Azad, Soai Kri and Toko Saha were also present at the meeting. (Raj Bhavan)
