Patna: Bihar’s cooperatives have been directed to seek membership in newly established national cooperative institutions in a bid to strengthen the sector and improve farmers’ incomes, state officials said after a review meeting in Patna on Wednesday. The institutions include National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL) and Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL).
The meeting, chaired by the state’s cooperation minister, Pramod Kumar, reviewed progress on affiliations and included senior officials from the Department of Cooperation, the registrar of cooperative societies and nodal officers across the state. Joint registrars and district cooperative officers joined the discussion via video conferencing.
Pramod Kumar said the central government’s new cooperative institutions represented a significant step towards strengthening and modernising India’s cooperative movement. He said active participation by Bihar’s cooperatives would help farmers access better technology, improved markets and fair prices for their produce, while also creating employment opportunities in rural areas. The initiative, he added, would help translate the vision of “prosperity through cooperation” into reality.
The minister reiterated the state government’s commitment to strengthening cooperatives and instructed officials to launch a campaign to ensure that all eligible societies obtain membership in NCOL, BBSSL and NCEL. He said such affiliations could open new avenues for development while ensuring sustainable growth in farmers’ incomes and safeguarding their interests.
According to officials, 5,406 cooperatives from Bihar have already joined BBSSL, while 400 have joined NCOL and 436 have joined NCEL. Membership in NCOL requires the purchase of at least 21 shares priced at Rs 1,000 each, along with a Rs 500 entry fee. For BBSSL, a minimum of one Rs 1,000 share and a Rs 500 entry fee is required, while NCEL membership requires at least one share worth Rs 10,000 and a Rs 500 entry fee.
Officials said joining NCOL could help promote organic products through certification, branding and marketing, giving Bihar’s organic produce national recognition and better prices for farmers. Affiliation with BBSSL is expected to ensure the availability of high-quality certified seeds, boosting productivity and strengthening self-reliance in the seed sector.
