Agartala, Nov 12: Tripura government has taken an initiative to constitute 3500 new Cooperative Societies in the next two years.

Addressing a press conference, Cooperative minister Ramprasad Paul on Friday said at present, total 2170 Cooperative Societies are relentlessly working for socio-economic development in the rural parts.

“Recently, a plan has been initiated to form 3500 new Cooperative Societies in the next two years with involvement of the small and marginal farmers, youths and women attached with financial activities for making them Swanirbhar,” Paul told the media.

He said Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Tourism and Housing would be given priorities for formation of the proposed Cooperative Societies and the District Cooperative offices have already been given targets for forming new societies.

According to Paul, a plan is also in the pipeline for arranging funds with low interest for infrastructure development after registration of the new Cooperative Societies.

Highlighting the achievements of his department, the minister claimed to have achieved 100 percent success in terms of formation of at least one Cooperative Society in each Gram Panchayat and ADC village.

He also announced that 68th Cooperative Week would be observed across the state from November 14 to 20 next with the theme ‘progress through cooperative’.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb would inaugurate the state-level programme at Agartala Town Hall on November 14, Paul said, adding that district-level seminars on cooperatives would take place throughout the week.

He said that during the lockdown, 143 cooperative societies were engaged in purchasing produce from the farmers at the minimum support price and marketing. The minister also stated that total 117 Cooperative Societies were delivering ration items to rural people through 208 Fair Price shops.