Sambandha’ Cooperative Membership Drive Launched in Khordha

District Sets Target of Enrolling 70,000 New Members in Two Months; Focus on Bringing at Least One Member from Every Family into Cooperative Network

Dillip Kumar Pattnaik

KHORDHA, SEPTEMBER 25: With a view to strengthening the cooperative movement in Odisha and expanding the reach of cooperative services at the grassroots level, the ‘Sambandha’ Cooperative Membership Campaign was launched across the state on Friday. In Khordha district, a target has been set to enrol 70,000 new members within two months, with particular emphasis on bringing at least one member from every family into the cooperative network.

The district-level launch of the campaign was organised at the conference hall of the Khordha Zilla Parishad through the joint initiative of the State Cooperation Department, Khordha district administration and the District Cooperative Department. Additional District Magistrate (General) Pratap Chandra Beura presided over the programme.

At the state level, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi formally launched the ‘Sambandha’ initiative at a special function in Bhubaneswar. Cooperation Minister Pradeep Bal Samanta, Chief Secretary Anu Garg, secretaries of various departments and other senior officials attended the programme. The Chief Minister inaugurated the statewide membership drive by pressing a button on a remote control.

Addressing the district-level programme, Beura highlighted the glorious history of the cooperative movement, which has a legacy spanning more than a century. He observed that the cooperative system had become an integral part of the economic and social life of the people.

Enrolling at least one member from every family at the grassroots level and extending cooperative services to them was an ambitious initiative of the State Government, he said.

He expressed hope that the campaign would play a significant role in realising the vision of ‘Developed Odisha 2036’ and ‘Developed India 2047’. The initiative would also help make farmers economically self-reliant, he added.

Khordha Zilla Parishad Vice-President Gopinath Maharana described the ‘Sambandha’ initiative as a significant step towards strengthening the cooperative sector. Just as cordial relations between students and teachers, coordination among officials and employees, and cooperation between political representatives and administrators contribute to social and national development, strong coordination among cooperative societies, banks and their members would strengthen the rural economy, he observed.

Chief Development Officer-cum-Executive Officer of the Zilla Parishad Jyoti Shankar Sahu said that bringing at least one member from every family into a cooperative society would help extend the benefits of government schemes and cooperative services to a larger section of the population. This, in turn, would improve the financial condition of families and accelerate the growth of the rural economy.

Khordha Sub-Collector Sankalpa Swastik Sahu emphasised the need to empower cooperative members through capacity-building initiatives. The ‘Sambandha’ campaign could strengthen the cooperative system by enhancing the capabilities of its members, he said, adding that collective efforts and active participation by all stakeholders would be essential for its successful implementation.

Chief District Agriculture Officer of Khordha Manoranjan Mishra underlined the role of cooperative societies in promoting rural development and addressing the various problems faced by farmers. Better coordination between the agriculture and cooperative sectors would enable farmers to derive greater benefits, he said.

Khordha Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies Alakananda Jena elaborated on the benefits of cooperative societies and the NAFED Bazaar initiative. She informed the gathering that 110 cooperative societies were currently functioning in Khordha district.

Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies Bhagabat Marandi said the district had been assigned a target of enrolling 70,000 new members within the two-month period stipulated by the State Government.

To ensure the successful implementation of the campaign, presidents and secretaries of cooperative societies had been advised to undertake membership registration through a mobile application in accordance with the prescribed government guidelines. He urged them to carry out the enrolment process sincerely and efficiently.

Chief Executive Officer of the Khordha Central Cooperative Bank Sarathi Satpathy spoke about the progress made by cooperative societies and highlighted the various services and financial assistance extended by them to their members.

Earlier, Mihika Das, Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Bhubaneswar, delivered the welcome address and introduced the guests. District Civil Supplies Officer Gyanendriya Mishra and Assistant Auditor General of Cooperative Societies Bhavani Shankar Pushpalak also attended the programme and shared their views on various aspects of the ‘Sambandha’ initiative.

The programme was attended by officials from various government departments, presidents and secretaries of cooperative societies across the district, cooperative members, bank employees, representatives of the three-tier Panchayati Raj institutions and members of the media.