Five-day training-cum-awareness programme under the banner ‘Developing Cooperatives as Rural Growth Centres’, organized by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) in collaboration with Cooperative Department Leh concluded today at Sindhu Sanskariti Kendram, here. The programme was organized for the first time to train different cooperative societies including women SHGs of Leh and Kargil districts. Addressing the concluding function, Minister for Cooperative and Ladakh Affairs, Cheering Dorjey Lakrook who was chief guest on the occasion, said that until and unless cooperative societies won’t avail the benefits of NCDC such training will go in vain. This training was organized specially in Leh looking at the fact of functionality of almost all the viable societies. Though almost all the sectors could be benefited through NCDC scheme, we are right now focusing mainly in the sectors like pashmina, seabuck thorn and apricots, said the Minister urging all the concerned stakeholders to now look for widening the horizon by concentrating in value addition of these products to achieve maximum benefit. Mentioning about the much awaited cold-storage facility, foundation stone for which was laid recently, and procurement of a highly specialized Italian Dehairing plant for Leh for which tendering has already been made, the Minster said that with the commissioning of these facilities, the Cooperative Societies aligned with these sectors will immensely benefit. Talking about the benefits of dairy business in order to bring more benefit in this sector, CEC, LAHDC, Dr Sonam Dawa has assured of streamlining all the machines lying with the Animal Husbandry into business so that farmers can benefit more from value addition. MLA Leh Nawang Rigzin Jora pressed on the fact of cooperative nature inherent in Ladakhis and added that they should be wise enough to take every possible benefit. We should also think about progressing in the seed-production sector, asserted Jora. In feedback section, President Ladakh Farmers Association Phunchok Angchuk Kalon expressed concern over the absent of information about various schemes and its benefits and therefore suggested every nodal agency to spread the desired information through common medium. DRC Kargil Haji Ahmad Hussain, Secretary Sham Cooperative Societies Skarma, Chief Director NCDC Regional Office Gurgaon Ashok Pillai and Director NCDC Regional Office Gurgaon JS Chauhan also spoke on the occasion.
