The Department of Cooperatives Kashmir, organized a function to celebrate the 95th International Cooperative Day and the 23rd United Nations International Day of Cooperatives at the Cooperative Complex Bemina here today.The International Co-operative Day is celebrated on the first Saturday of July every year, and the theme for this year’s International Day is ‘Cooperatives ensure no one is left behind’.Scores of participants mostly belonging to the Cooperative fraternity attended the function in which senior functionaries of the Department and senior cooperators highlighted the role of cooperatives as a self-help tool for people to create their own economic opportunities through the power of the collective and pull themselves out of poverty. The speakers stressed that the Day reaffirms the International Co-operative Alliance’s call that co-operatives work for making the world a better place to live in.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary and Registrar Cooperatives, Bashir Ahmad Bhat, stressed that the cooperatives need to take a pledge to take initiatives for implementation of the goals of sustainable development. Highlighting the importance of the role of cooperatives in the economic, social and cultural development of societies, he said the United Nations has recognized and reaffirmed that cooperatives provide a suitable framework for facilitating the mobilization of human, financial and other resources.Other speakers, who also spoke on the occasion, highlighted the role of cooperatives with particular reference to the state of Jammu & Kashmir and said that it is a balancing factor of the economy. It was said that there is need to demystify cooperatives by holding awareness camps, seminars, debates and road-shows so that general public becomes aware of the benefits of working under the co-operative fold.On the occasion, it was strongly impressed upon the concerned to also focus on development of new sectors like floriculture, bee-keeping, fish-farming, mushroom cultivation and fruit processing so that the educated youth of the State can earn their livelihood besides developing entrepreneurship skills.The function was also attended by Additional Registrar, Kashmir, Joint Registrar (Banking & Finance), Deputy Registrars and District Audit Officers of Kashmir division.