Co-op movement must aim fair price to farmers: Baghel

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday stressed the need to strengthen the cooperative movement and said its biggest objective was to provide fair price to the farmers.

He said this while inaugurating the National Cooperative Conference and National Award Ceremony at the Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium here under the aegis of the Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Bank (APEX Bank) and National Federation of State Cooperative Banks (NAFSCAB).

Baghel said Chhattisgarh had incorporated the better aspects of the cooperative sector policies from various states and removed the shortcomings.

Consistent efforts should be made to ensure that the farmers get remunerative price for their produce, he said.

The Chief Minister said that farmers can be empowered into energy providers by promoting the production of ethanol from surplus food grain.

Hence, it was important that the Central government permits the production of ethanol from the paddy procured at support price.

Various schemes and activities have been linked with cooperative banks in Chhattisgarh, he said.

Baghel said the number of farmers registered in the cooperative sector in Chhattisgarh has increased from 15 lakh to 22 lakh.

Through various schemes, the Chhattisgarh government has done direct transactions of Rs. 91,000 crores through cooperative banks into the accounts of livestock farmers, farmers, labourers and forest dwellers, he said.