India marks UN International Year of Cooperatives 2025 with nationwide campaign

New Delhi, Jul 23: India is observing the United Nations’ International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025 with a nationwide campaign themed “Cooperatives Build a Better World.” The Ministry of Cooperation has launched a series of initiatives to highlight the sector’s role in inclusive and sustainable development. A national action plan was unveiled in January by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, with events coordinated through central and state-level committees. The IYC logo has been widely promoted on railway tickets, government websites, Amul milk packets, and during the Women’s Premier League.

Key highlights include the foundation stone of India’s first cooperative university in Gujarat, a national conference of cooperation ministers in New Delhi, and the launch of 25 PACS godowns in Bihar. A special plantation drive under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” campaign is underway across over 25 States and UTs.

Jammu & Kashmir hosted awareness camps, retail inaugurations, and yoga events, while Ladakh held training workshops, seminars, and distributed dairy equipment to local farmers. The Ministry is also working on benchmarking standards and a Business Reform Action Plan for cooperatives, with a consolidated national report to be released at the end of the year.