Punjab’s Cooperation Movement Drives Economic Growth: Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema

Recognising the Cooperation Department as the backbone of Punjab’s economic development, the state’s Finance, Planning, Excise and Taxation Minister Advocate Harpal Singh Cheema affirmed that under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann the Punjab government, and particularly the Finance Department, is providing full support to the Cooperation Department, geared towards strengthening the cooperation movement and expanding its capital. Finance Minister Cheema made these remarks while addressing the state-level function on the last day of the 71st All India Cooperation Week at Tagore Bhawan here.

During the event, Minister Cheema launched the web portal ‘Phulkari’ prepared by the Cooperation Department with aims to provide a world-class sales avenue for the products crafted by women artisans across the state. He also unveiled new products from Verka and a coffee table book of Cooperation Department.

In his address, the Finance Minister revealed that Sugarfed, once burdened with liabilities exceeding Rs 400 crore when the present government took over in 2022, has been transformed into a thriving institution over the past two years. He said that during the last two years, these liabilities have not only been cleared, but the institution has been strengthened significantly. “As a result of these efforts, the area under sugarcane cultivation has increased from 50,429 hectares in 2022-23 to 56,391 hectares in 2024-25. Efforts to bring this institution from loss to profit have also been made, with a 14 MW co-generation plant running on paddy straw at Bhogpur Cooperative Sugar Mill earning Rs 15.31 crore in 2023-24”, he added.

Describing Milkfed as one of the top three milk-product agencies in the country, Finance Minister Cheema said that Milkfed has set a record by purchasing 31 lakh liters of milk per day during the financial year 2023-2024. He also mentioned the commissioning of a 50 MTPD By-Pass Protein Plant at Verka Cattle Feed Plant, Ghania Ke Bangar, and a Fermented Milk Processing and Packaging Unit with a capacity of up to 50,000 LPD at Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Ludhiana. On this occasion, he unveiled Verka’s new products including 1-liter plastic jars of cow ghee, Sugar-Free Kheer, Sugar-Free Milk Cake and Sugar-Free Pio Protein.

Finance Minister Cheema also commended the role of Markfed in promoting crop diversification through a price support scheme for moong to divert farmers from the paddy-wheat cycle. He said Markfed procured 7,584 metric tonnes of moong, benefiting 4,515 farmers. The quality of processed food and other food items prepared and marketed by Markfed has gained worldwide recognition, providing a robust platform for cooperative societies to sell their products, said Cheema.

Lauding cooperative banks for offering low-interest loans to farmers for agricultural and other needs, Finance Minister Cheema said that these banks are being computerized to enhance their strength and efficiency. He said that under a project, which was initiated during his tenure as Cooperation Minister, 50 percent of the banks have been computerized. Congratulating the banks for this achievement, he urged the officers to improve loan recoveries to ensure that low-interest loans can be provided to more and more farmers.

Minister Cheema also acknowledged the contributions of other significant institutions within the Cooperation Department, including Labourfed, Punjab State Cooperative Development Federation Limited, and Punjab Institute of Cooperative Training. He emphasized the provision of about 15,000 agricultural implements to farmers through 3,000 primary agricultural cooperative societies for stubble management, has helped in controling stubble burning incidents. He further added that 12 new food processing organizations have been established in Punjab to boost crop diversification.

Special Chief Secretary to the Chief Minister Punjab V.K. Singh, in his address, highlighted Bertrand Russell’s statement, "The only thing that will redeem mankind is cooperation." He stressed that the cooperative movement is essential to bringing farmers out of the current agricultural crises. He pointed out that farmers used buy inputs for agriculture at retail and sell their produce at wholesale prices, and only through cooperative societies can they buy at wholesale and sell at retail.

The Secretary, Cooperation Department, Anindita Mitra, provided a brief overview of the events organized during the 71st All India Cooperation Week. Prior to her address, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Vimal Kumar Setia, welcomed the dignitaries attending the event.

Meanwhile, Minister Cheema honoured the best-performing cooperative societies, food processing societies, progressive farmers, labor and construction cooperative societies, cooperative banks, Verka Dairy, and sugar mills with 28 different awards. He also visited the stalls set up by JICA Women Self-Help Group, Jagraon, New Sona Self-Help Group, Bathinda, Sri Guru Arjan Dev Women Self-Help Group, Samrala, Fateh Handicraft Women Self-Help Group, Patiala, Khizrabad Women Self-Help Group, Mohali, Milkfed, Markfed and Punjab Agricultural Cooperative Societies and appreciated their efforts.

Prominent amongst others, Secretary Cooperation Ritu Aggarwal, Chairman PSCB Jagdev Singh Bham, Chairman SADB Suresh Goyal, Chairman Milkfed Narinder Singh Shergill, Chairman Markfed Amandeep Singh Mohi, Chairman Sugarfed Navdeep Singh Jeeda, Chairman Labourfed Vishvas Saini and Chairman Housefed Narinder Singh were also present on this occasion.