Workshops and seminars have been held across India to mark the foundation day of Shakar Bharati, a “non-political and non-government organisation” dedicated to “spreading, purifying and strengthening the co-operative movement”.
The organisation, founded in Pune in 1978, works to promote the movement, and offers training, help with co-op development, business advice and networking structures.
This year’s foundation day saw a number of discussions about the “sweet revolution”, a programme declared by prime minister Narendra Modi last September.
Mr Modi wants dairies to diversify into honey production, and called on farmers to install 50 beehives in their fields. The idea, inspired by the honey production farm at the Amul Dairy Co-op, saw interest on the foundation day by co-operators in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, in Raipur, Chhattisgarh state co-operative bank chairman Ashok Bajaj inaugurated the Sahakar Bharati Raipur office, and in Uttarakhand the state’s Sahakar Bharati team organised a seminar for workers.
In the Sangli district of Maharashtra, and event saw speakers discuss how co-ops can ameliorate the lot of the poor.
Satish Marathe, patron of Sahakar Bharati, greeted his followers through social media and wrote: “Today on the foundation day of Sahakar Bharati I extend greetings to all co-operators and co-operatives and appeal to all to come forward to work together to re-energise co-ops in the country.”
