BHUBANESWAR: The State Government on Monday asked various departments to explore new opportunities in cooperative sector for generation of employment with funding from National Cooperative Development Cooperation (NCDC) under Integrated Cooperative Development Programme (ICDP).
The ICDP scheme which promotes various economic activities through cooperatives in the sphere of agriculture and allied sectors was discussed at a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Secretary Aditya Padhi.
The meeting discussed possible economic activities and trade like regional cuisine, micro irrigation, truck-mounted processing facilities at farm gates within easy reach of the farmers, agro-forestry, organic vegetables, inland and coastal fishery, fish marketing, salt production, diary, paddy procurement and processing, animal husbandry, hospitality and tourism.
The Chief Secretary directed department concerned to submit viable project proposals for consideration under ICDP. The Cooperation department will be the nodal agency to carry forward the ICDP initiatives.
Development Commissioner R Balakrishnan advised the departments to make a realistic assessment and visualise concrete projects with resource requirement.
“Recent trend of development in Odisha has created potential for productive and marketing activities through cooperative societies. The State Government has initiated steps in this direction. NCDC has proposed to participate in this endeavour. We can provide financial assistance in shape of loan to the State and public sector owned marketing federations for these activities,” NCDC Managing Director Sundeep Kumar Nayak said.