More than 400 cooperative societies have registered on the Government e-Marketplace (GeM) portal in last three months, Union Minister B L Verma said on Monday. On June 1, the Union Cabinet had given its approval for expanding the mandate of GeM to allow procurement by cooperatives as buyers on GeM. But it was on August 9, the cooperatives were formally onboarded the portal.
"So far, more than 400 cooperatives have registered on the GeM portal and begun the trade," the Minister of State for Cooperation said.
He was addressing the 69th All India Cooperative Week organised by National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) here.
Organic products, especially from North-East do not find a right market. Be it organic or other products, cooperatives can sell these items on the GeM portal, he added.
Besides this, the minister said the government has taken several measures to strengthen and expand cooperatives since formation of a new cooperation ministry in July 2021.
On setting up of a new cooperation university, the minister said an in-principle approval has been given for it.
"I believe it will be set up in Delhi," he told reporters on the sidelines of the event.
He also said a national committee, headed by former union minister Suresh Prabhu, has been set up for drafting a new cooperation policy and the consultation process is underway.
On the occasion, Verma also unveiled a statue of late Choudhary Brahm Prakash, the first chief minister of Delhi.
NCUI Vice President K Shivadasan Nair said this is the right time to take benefit of the support extended by the central government and change the way cooperatives function.
Source Name:-Economic Times