Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Saturday performed the ‘Bhoomi Poojan’ ceremony for India’s first cooperative educational institution — Tribhuvan Sahkari University — in Anand, Gujarat. He described the initiative as a significant step towards strengthening the cooperative sector in the country.
Speaking at the event, Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the cooperative movement is witnessing robust growth nationwide. The establishment of this university, he added, is a revolutionary step in that direction.
The Union Minister highlighted that since the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation, 60 new initiatives have been launched to promote the development, transparency, and inclusivity of the cooperative movement. These initiatives aim to make the movement more democratic, boost farmers’ incomes, and increase participation from women and youth.
Shah announced that Tribhuvan Sahkari University will be built on a 125-acre campus at a cost of Rs 500 crore. The university is named after Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel, a pioneer of India’s cooperative movement. The institution will focus on fostering transparency, accountability, research, and the spirit of cooperative federalism.
He also informed that the Centre has planned to form two lakh new Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) across the country, of which 60,000 will be established by the end of this year.
The event was attended by several dignitaries, including Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendrabhai Patel, Union Ministers of State for Cooperation Krishan Pal Gurjar and Muralidhar Mohol, and Cooperation Ministry Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani.