- Encourages Inclusion of Cooperatives in School Curriculum while launching this course under CBSE
- India’s First Cooperative University launched during the International Year of Cooperatives and the 150th birth anniversary year of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel
- The university has been named after the late Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, one of the pioneers of the cooperative movement in India who was instrumental in laying the foundation of Amul
- The university will be built on a 125-acre plot at a cost of Rs 500 crore
- Under this movement 36 lakh women are doing business worth Rs 80,000 crore
NE EDUCATION BUREAU
ANAND, JULY 5
The cooperatives sector in India has no dearth of talent and what the country requires now is a manpower of trained personnel, including experts and officials. With an avowed aim to churn out industry-ready manpower and end nepotism in this vital sector, “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University is being set up in Anand, said Union Minister of Cooperation & Home Affairs Amit Shah here on Saturday.
He was speaking at the foundation stone laying ceremony of India’s First Cooperative University during the International Year of Cooperatives and the 150th birth anniversary year of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. He encouraged the inclusion of cooperatives in school curriculum as well.
“As envisioned by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji, the Tribhuvan Sahkari University will fulfil the need for trained manpower in the cooperative sector, bring transparency, promote innovation, formulate policies, and offer technical education in areas like accounting, marketing, and cooperative values – ensuring expertise along with the spirit of service to the poor,” Amit Shah said during the keynote address.
The Bhoomi Pujan and foundation stone laying took place at an elaborate ceremony in the presence of several senior leaders from the central and state governments, with thousands of entrepreneurial farmers from across Gujarat. The event honours Sardar Shri Vallabhbhai Patel and his relentless efforts in rural development during his 150th birth anniversary year and marks a key initiative during the International Year of Cooperatives.
Launching a special course on Cooperatives by CBSE, the Minister of Cooperation said, “CBSE has started adding cooperatives to the syllabus. CM Shri Bhupendra Bhai Patel, the Vidhan Sabha Speaker and the Education Minister, all three are present here. I request that just like CBSE, even the Gujarat government should add cooperatives as a subject in the curriculum in books for classes 9 to 12. Gujarat government should also add cooperatives as a subject in its curriculum so that common people know the importance of cooperatives.”
Amit Shah further said, “Tribhuvan University is named after Shri Tribhuvandas Patel, who, under Sardar Patel’s guidance, sowed the seed of a new idea in 1946, that of the Kheda District Milk Producers’ Cooperative Union, and led the way for empowering farmers and inspiring a movement that now includes 36 lakh women doing business worth Rs 80,000 crore. His vision made the cooperative model succeed, and with PM Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri’s support, led to the formation of the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) was formed, turning one tehsil’s effort into a nationwide movement. Now, this University will be the epicentre for the vision of Sahkar se Samriddhi.”
Shah also sought to address concerns in some quarters about the upcoming university not being named after Dr Verghese Kurien, the father of the White Revolution, saying his role in the cooperatives sector can never be denied.
Congress leaders who raised such questions do not know that Patel was from their party. The BJP did not even exist then, the minister said.
Delivering the opening remarks, Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel said, “Laying the foundation stone of the country’s first cooperative university in Anand is a clear example of the right job at the right time and the right place. I am confident that the Tribhuvan Sahkari University will prepare an entire young generation dedicated to the development of rural India, respecting cooperative values, and making the cooperative sector more vibrant for the attainment of a developed India by 2047.”
“Initially, we will launch three courses covering dairy, cooperation and finance. Later, three more courses will be added,” said Dr JM Vyas, Vice Chancellor, “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University.
The “Tribhuvan” Sahkari University will provide specialised education, training and research opportunities in areas such as cooperative management, finance, law and rural development. It will empower cooperative institutions at the grassroots level by promoting innovation, capacity building and best practices, improve governance and accelerate inclusive and sustainable rural economic development.
Shankar Chaudhary, Speaker of the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha; Krishan Pal, Union Minister of State for Cooperation; Murlidhar Mohol, Union Minister of State for Cooperation and Civil Aviation; Rishikesh Patel, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Medical Education, Higher and Technical Education, Government of Gujarat; Jagdish Vishwakarma, Minister of State for Cooperation, Government of Gujarat; Dr Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Union Ministry of Cooperation along with Dr Meenesh Shah, Chairman, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) were present at the event.
