Cooperative movement key to farmers’ prosperity, rural empowerment: Devyani Rana

Mathwar, Oct 2: Jammu & Kashmir Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) vice president Devyani Rana Wednesday extolled the transformative potential of the cooperative movement, describing it as a cornerstone for revitalizing rural economies and empowering agrarian communities.

Addressing progressive farmers of block Mathwar during an awareness programme on Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) under the Central Sector Scheme, Devyani characterized cooperatives as a catalyst for collective progress and enduring prosperity.

“Cooperatives epitomize the essence of shared advancement. They convene individuals, consolidate resources, and transmute common challenges into shared opportunities,” she said.

“They cultivate an ethos of equity and inclusion, ensuring that development is not an exclusive privilege but a universal right.”

J&K BJYM vice president observed that in recent years the cooperative sector was accorded unprecedented institutional and policy support by the national leadership. “This infusion of vision and resources has invigorated grassroots organizations, enabling them to serve as engines of entrepreneurship, self-reliance, and sustainable livelihoods,” she noted.

Invoking the guiding philosophy of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas”, Devyani asserted, “These values resonate profoundly with the cooperative spirit. True progress is never the work of solitary endeavour. It is forged in solidarity, sustained by trust, and animated by collective responsibility.”

She lamented that the political exploitation of cooperatives in earlier decades had attenuated their resilience and efficacy, eroding public confidence. “Yet today,” she affirmed, “we witness a renaissance of the cooperative movement, reinvigorated and reimagined as a credible instrument of empowerment and socio-economic mobility.”

On a personal note, Devyani paid homage to her late father, Devender Singh Rana, a steadfast advocate of agrarian welfare. She recalled his pivotal role in laying the institutional foundations for farmer empowerment in Mathwar, including the registration and sanctioning of the ‘Mathwar Farmer Producer Organisation Cooperative Limited’.

“His vision was unequivocal: that genuine progress must emanate from those who till our soil and sustain our nation. I pledge to advance that vision with fidelity and resolve,” she said.

The event also featured an address by Vikrant Dogra, chairman of Unati Agri Allied and Marketing Multi-State Cooperative Society Limited and chairman and CEO of the Jammu and Kashmir Dairy Cooperative Federation Limited.

He delineated the imperative of fortifying farmers’ collectives to cultivate stronger market linkages, augment incomes, and foster sustainable rural development.

Organized under the central sector scheme, the programme was convened by the Jammu and Kashmir Dairy Cooperative Federation Limited (JKDCF), empanelled as a Cluster Based Business Organization (CBBO) with the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC).

The day commenced with floral tributes to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on their birth anniversaries, solemnly affirming their enduring legacy of self-reliance, dignity of labour, and rural upliftment.