CM Sai Attends State Cooperative Meet in Raipur
Synopsis
Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai joined a state-level cooperative conference in Raipur on 3 July 2026, marking five years of the Union Ministry of Cooperation. He honoured tendu-leaf collectors and women Van Dhan self-help groups, reaffirming the state's commitment to the 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' vision for rural prosperity.
Key Takeaways
CM Vishnu Deo Sai attended the state-level Sahkari Saptah cooperative conference in Raipur on 3 July 2026 .
The event marked five years of the Union Ministry of Cooperation , established in July 2021 under PM Modi.
Awardees included Sahkar Prerna Puraskar recipients, tendu-leaf collectors , and women self-help groups linked to Van Dhan Samitis .
The Sahkar Se Samriddhi slogan, led by Union Minister Amit Shah , targets farmers, pastoralists, fisherfolk, weavers, and minor forest-produce gatherers.
Chhattisgarh's cooperative push integrates central schemes such as Van Dhan Yojana (launched 2018 ) with state-level rural development priorities.
State-level rollout of new cooperative societies and Van Dhan clusters in Chhattisgarh is expected to follow the week-long observance.
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai attended a state-level cooperative conference in Raipur on 3 July 2026, marking the completion of five years of the Union Ministry of Cooperation established under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The event was held as part of Sahkari Saptah (Cooperative Week) and brought together farmers, tribal forest-produce collectors, and women self-help groups from across the state.
Context
Posting on X, CM Sai wrote that 'the path to a prosperous farmer, an empowered rural economy, and a developed Chhattisgarh runs through strong cooperatives.' He participated in the conference in that spirit, honouring winners of the Sahkar Prerna Puraskar (Cooperative Inspiration Award), tendu-leaf collectors, and women self-help groups linked to Van Dhan Samitis. The event was framed around the slogan Sahkar Se Samriddhi — 'prosperity through cooperation' — championed by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
Policy Backdrop
The Ministry of Cooperation was created by the Union Government in July 2021 to give dedicated institutional attention to the cooperative movement across sectors including agriculture, livestock, fisheries, handlooms, and minor forest produce. The ministry's five-year anniversary prompted Sahkari Saptah observances at both national and state levels. Separately, the Van Dhan Yojana, launched in 2018, underpins the participation of tribal collectors and Van Dhan Kendras in cooperative value chains, a model particularly relevant to forest-rich states such as Chhattisgarh.
CM Sai credited Amit Shah's leadership for making the Sahkar Se Samriddhi vision a 'strong foundation for income, self-reliance, and new opportunities' for farmers, livestock keepers, fisherfolk, weavers, and minor forest-produce gatherers. The Chhattisgarh government has positioned cooperatives as the 'central axis of rural development' in the state.
Stakeholders and Impact
The conference honoured three distinct groups: recipients of the Sahkar Prerna Puraskar, tendu-leaf collector brothers and sisters (tendupattta sangrahak bhai-behnon), and women self-help groups associated with Van Dhan Samitis. Tendu-leaf collection is a major seasonal livelihood for tribal communities in Chhattisgarh, and its integration into cooperative structures is intended to improve price realisation and reduce dependence on middlemen. Women's self-help groups linked to Van Dhan clusters receive support for value addition and marketing of minor forest produce under the central scheme.
The broader constituency includes small and marginal farmers, pastoralists, inland fisherfolk, and handloom weavers — all segments the Union and state governments have identified as beneficiaries of cooperative-led income growth.
What's Next
Observers will watch for state-level announcements on new cooperative society registrations, expansion of Van Dhan Kendra clusters, and potential credit-linkage initiatives in Chhattisgarh in the weeks following Sahkari Saptah. The five-year milestone of the Ministry of Cooperation is also expected to prompt a review of model bye-laws and multi-state cooperative regulations at the central level. For Chhattisgarh, where forest-dependent and tribal livelihoods remain a policy priority, deeper integration of state cooperative structures with central schemes could shape rural income outcomes in the near term.
Point of View
Using five-year milestones as platforms to showcase delivery to tribal and agrarian constituencies. By spotlighting tendu-leaf collectors and Van Dhan women's groups, CM Sai signals that Chhattisgarh's cooperative push is calibrated toward forest-dependent tribal voters — a politically significant bloc in the state. The dual invocation of PM Modi and Amit Shah also reinforces the Centre-state alignment that has defined BJP's governance messaging since 2021. Whether the institutional momentum translates into measurable income gains for primary producers will be the real test of the 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' framework.
NationPress
3 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Sahkari Saptah and why was it celebrated in 2026?
Sahkari Saptah, or Cooperative Week, was observed in 2026 to mark the completion of five years of the Union Ministry of Cooperation, which was established in July 2021 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi to give focused policy support to the cooperative movement across India.
What did CM Vishnu Deo Sai do at the Raipur cooperative conference?
CM Vishnu Deo Sai attended the state-level cooperative conference in Raipur on 3 July 2026, where he felicitated Sahkar Prerna Puraskar winners, tendu-leaf collectors, and women self-help groups associated with Van Dhan Samitis.
What is the 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' slogan?
'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' means 'prosperity through cooperation.' It is the guiding vision of Union Minister Amit Shah for the cooperative sector, aimed at improving income and self-reliance for farmers, fisherfolk, weavers, livestock keepers, and minor forest-produce collectors.
What is Van Dhan Yojana and how does it relate to Chhattisgarh cooperatives?
Van Dhan Yojana is a central government scheme launched in 2018 to promote tribal entrepreneurship through value addition and marketing of minor forest produce via Van Dhan Kendras. In Chhattisgarh, women self-help groups linked to Van Dhan Samitis are a key beneficiary group within the cooperative framework.
Who are the main beneficiaries of the cooperative push in Chhattisgarh?
The primary beneficiaries include small and marginal farmers, tendu-leaf and minor forest-produce collectors, women self-help groups, livestock keepers, inland fisherfolk, and handloom weavers — communities for whom cooperatives are intended to provide income stability and market access.
