Delhi launches 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi - Cooperative Week 2026', CM Rekha Gupta flags off awareness van
New Delhi, June 29
Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday inaugurated 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi - Cooperative Week 2026' at the Delhi Secretariat, marking five years of the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation by the Government of India, and flagged off a Cooperative Awareness Van to promote the cooperative movement across the national capital.
According to a release, the week-long campaign, organised by the Delhi Government's Department of Cooperation, will feature awareness drives, seminars, tree plantation campaigns, quiz competitions and community outreach programmes aimed at encouraging greater public participation in the cooperative sector.
The inaugural programme was attended by Delhi Cooperation Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh, Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa, Minister Ashish Sood, senior officials of the Department of Cooperation and representatives of cooperative institutions.
To mark the beginning of the campaign, the Chief Minister also released colourful balloons before flagging off the Cooperative Awareness Van, which will travel across different parts of Delhi to spread awareness about the role and benefits of cooperative institutions. Street plays and public awareness activities were also organised at the Delhi Secretariat.
Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said cooperation was much more than an economic model and played an important role in strengthening society.
"Cooperation is not merely an economic system but a powerful medium for social participation, self-reliance, and collective development. The Delhi Government is fully committed to taking Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' to every citizen," CM Gupta said, as per the release.
She expressed confidence that Cooperative Week would encourage more people to become part of cooperative institutions and contribute towards the economic and social development of society.
Speaking at the event, Cooperation Minister Ravinder Indraj Singh said the Delhi Government was working to modernise cooperative institutions through technology-driven governance and greater transparency.
"The cooperative sector is being further strengthened through modern technology, digital services and transparent governance. Our objective is to make cooperative institutions more accountable, efficient and citizen-centric so that better services can be delivered to the people while accelerating economic prosperity through the cooperative movement," Singh said.
He said Cooperative Week would include Cooperative Awareness Vans, public awareness campaigns, seminars, panel discussions, online and offline quiz competitions, tree plantation drives and several public participation programmes across Delhi.
According to the minister, nearly 10,000 saplings will be planted during the campaign at locations including Narela, Dwarka, Rohini and other parts of the city as part of environmental conservation efforts.
"Cooperation is not only a means of economic development but also the foundation of social unity, transparency, collective responsibility and a self-reliant India. We endeavour to encourage more citizens to become part of the cooperative movement and use it as a pathway to their economic and social progress," Singh said.
He appealed to Delhi residents to actively participate in the programmes organised throughout the week and contribute towards transforming the Prime Minister's vision of "Sahkar Se Samriddhi" into a people's movement.
The minister added that collective participation would play an important role in achieving the vision of "Viksit Delhi" and "Viksit Bharat 2047."
During the week, awareness programmes highlighting the role of cooperative institutions, digital cooperation, environmental conservation and community participation will be organised across different parts of Delhi. The celebrations will conclude on July 6 with a grand closing ceremony, where outstanding cooperative institutions, winners of various competitions and individuals who have made significant contributions to the cooperative sector will be honoured.
— ANI
Reader Comments
As someone who has seen the cooperative movement in my home province of Quebec, Canada, I think this is a smart move. Cooperatives can be very resilient and community-focused. The real test will be how they implement transparency and prevent political interference. Let's see how this plays out.
I appreciate the tree plantation drive - 10,000 saplings is a good start. Would love to see more specific plans for how women can benefit from this cooperative push. In many parts of India, women-led self-help groups have done wonders. Hope this initiative reaches them too! 🌳
Cooperatives are great in theory but in Delhi, we've seen many fail due to corruption and mismanagement. I hope the modernisation through technology and digital services actually brings transparency and accountability. Otherwise it's just another photo-op and balloon release. 🤷♂️
Interesting approach. In the US, credit unions (a form of cooperative) are very popular. However, the success depends on grassroots participation and not just government-led campaigns. I hope the awareness van and street plays actually connect with people at the local level.
"Sahkar Se Samriddhi" is a nice slogan but we need concrete results. The cooperative ministry completed five years, and while some progress has been made in sectors like sugar and dairy, urban cooperatives like housing societies and consumer stores need a major boost. Let's see if Delhi can be a model here.
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