Upper Siang Hosts Cooperative Mahotsav
The Cooperative Mahotsav in Yingkiong brought together government agencies, financial institutions and cooperative societies to promote enterprise development, financial inclusion and market access for local producers.
YINGKIONG- A Cooperative Mahotsav organised by the Upper Siang District Cooperative Union Limited was held at Grand Siang Hotel in Yingkiong on Friday, bringing together cooperative societies, Large Area Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies (LAMPS), government departments and financial institutions to strengthen cooperative enterprises, improve market linkages and promote financial inclusion across the district.
The programme witnessed participation from representatives of the Reserve Bank of India’s MoneyWise Centre for Financial Literacy (CFL) Project, CFL Mariyang, CRISIL Foundation and several partner organisations engaged in rural development and financial literacy initiatives.
The event was attended by Shivaji Munshi, Deputy District Development Manager (DDM), NABARD, as the Guest of Honour, while Md. Abdul Rakib, Block Development Officer (BDO), NERAMAC, attended as the Special Guest. Other dignitaries included Ojhon Lego, Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies (ARCS), Upper Siang, Ms. Kalinam, Community-Based Organisation (CBO), CRISIL Foundation, and representatives from CFL Mariyang, including Ms. Geyang Ratan and Mr. Talling Perme.
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Addressing the gathering, Shivaji Munshi outlined strategies for strengthening cooperative societies and LAMPS through structured business planning, value addition and institutional credit linkage. He encouraged cooperative bodies to prepare formal business plans and utilise financial support available through banks and NABARD to enhance production capacity and ensure long-term sustainability.
Speaking on market opportunities, Md. Abdul Rakib highlighted procurement systems and value-addition initiatives for agricultural and horticultural produce. He emphasised the importance of aggregation models and quality grading to improve market competitiveness. He also introduced participants to the NERACE portal, a digital platform developed jointly by the North Eastern Council (NEC), North Eastern Development Finance Corporation Ltd. (NEDFi) and NERAMAC, aimed at expanding market access for products from the North East, including those from Upper Siang.
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As part of the programme, CFL Mariyang conducted an interactive financial literacy session focusing on financial inclusion and awareness. Participants received information on key central government schemes, including PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi, Atal Pension Yojana (APY), Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana (PMSBY) and Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana (PMJJBY). The District Extension Officer also assisted participants in completing Field Input Reporting formats to facilitate proper documentation of beneficiaries and programme activities.
Officials also shared information on the RBI MoneyWise Centre for Financial Literacy initiative and other capacity-building programmes aimed at improving financial awareness, responsible borrowing and access to banking services.
An interactive question-and-answer session enabled cooperative members and local residents to seek clarifications on banking facilities, agricultural practices and government welfare schemes, with officials and technical experts responding to their queries.
The programme concluded with participants expressing appreciation to the organising committee and partner organisations for conducting the awareness programme, which they said would contribute to strengthening livelihoods, promoting financial inclusion and creating better market opportunities for local producers in Upper Siang district.
