Cooperation Ministry formed to help farmers: Amit Shah

The Union Minister said the CAMPCO, which started with around 3,500 members in 1973, now has 1.38 lakh farmer members and annual turnover of around ₹3,000 crore.

The BJP-led Narendra Modi government set up the Cooperation Ministry at the national level to help farmers on a large scale, the first Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said on Saturday.

Cooperation Ministry formed to help farmers: Amit Shah

Addressing the inaugural function of the Central Arecanut and Cocoa Marketing and Processing Co-operative Limited (CAMPCO) in Puttur of Dakshina Kannada district in Karnataka, Shah said the achievement of the multi-state cooperative CAMPCO in this field is amazing.

The Union Minister said the CAMPCO, which started with around 3,500 members in 1973, now has 1.38 lakh farmer members and annual turnover of around ₹3,000 crore. "This is a certificate for their dedication in the last 50 years," he said.

Praising the Dakshina Kannada region as a 'Pavithra Bhoomi' lying between the Western Ghats and the Arabian Sea, Shah said Gujaratis always think of Mangaluru when they consume supari. "We have a strong traditional link," he said.

The BJP always followed the ideals of Deen Dayal Upadhyay and stood for the progress and welfare of the citizens, adopting a humane approach towards issues, Shah said.

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, veteran BJP leader B S Yediyurappa, State BJP president Nalin Kumar Kateel MP, State Ministers Araga Jnanendra, Kota Srinivas Poojary, S Angara, V Sunil Kumar and MLAs from Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts and CAMPCO president Kishore Kumar Kodgi were among those present.