Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that cooperative institutions will pave the path for India to become the top economy of the world. He was addressing a public rally in Shirdi after attending the 123rd birth anniversary celebrations of Dr Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil.
He emphasized that all aspects of India’s economic development can not be achieved without cooperative institutions. Speaking on the contribution of Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil ji to society, Singh said, “Patil Ji worked not only in cooperation but also in the field of education and medicine at the grassroots level During the freedom struggle, many great Indian leaders like Mahatma Gandhi realized that the illiteracy prevalent in India was hindering the activism of the freedom movement. Then Vitthalrao Vikhe Patil ji lit the flame of education to awaken the rural people.”
Cooperatives are mentioned not only in the provisions of the Constitution but also under the leadership of the Prime Minister, as a separate Ministry of Cooperatives has also been formed to promote the cooperative movement. But when the co-operative movement started, people raised several questions claiming farmers are not literate and there is no scope for such initiatives, he said.