Cooperation sector key to allied industries' success: Amit Sharma

Aizawl, February 15: During a significant State Credit Seminar held today, Amit Sharma, Secretary of ICT & Cooperation, Mizoram, emphasised the vital role of the Cooperation department in supporting allied sectors such as Agriculture, Horticulture, Animal Husbandry, and Fisheries.

The seminar, chaired by Chief Minister Lalduhoma, saw participation from cabinet ministers, administrative secretaries, senior bankers, SLBC coordinators, Lead District Managers, and various developmental agencies including NGOs.

According to a statement, Sharma announced plans for district-wide awareness and sensitization drives to commemorate 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, as designated by the United Nations. These initiatives will be personally led by the Secretary and teams from the RCS Office as part of the year-long calendar of events.

Highlighting the current state of cooperatives in Mizoram, Sharma noted that the state's cooperative membership stands at 4 percent of the population, significantly lower than Kerala (77 percent) and Karnataka (50 percent). He reported a success story in the PACS computerization scheme, where all 25 selected PACS from Mizoram have achieved Go-Live status, earning recognition from the Cooperation Ministry.

The seminar also marked the release of NABARD's State Focus Paper for Mizoram 2025-26, presented in the presence of the Chief Minister and other dignitaries. Pankaja Borah, General Manager (OIC) of NABARD's Mizoram Regional Office, discussed the paper's importance in state development planning and emphasized credit's role in transforming Mizoram's rurale economy.