JAIPUR: Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah made several key announcements during his visit to Rajasthan while participating in the Co-operation and Employment Festival held in Dadiya on Thursday.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, unprecedented work is being carried out in the field of cooperation.
“Over the past 100 years, the cooperative sector has played a significant role in India’s development. The coming decade will belong to this sector,” he said. Highlighting the sector’s contribution, he added that cooperative institutions account for nearly 20 per cent of wheat and paddy procurement in the country.
Touching on innovation, Shah mentioned ongoing research into the medicinal properties of camel milk, stating it could open new avenues in medicine and nutrition. During the event, he flagged off 100 new vehicles for the Rajasthan Police and visited an exhibition showcasing cooperative sector products.
As part of the event, Amit Shah distributed appointment letters to newly recruited government employees. He also virtually inaugurated 24 grain warehouses with a capacity of 500 metric tonnes each and 64 millet centres. Under the Gopal Credit Card Scheme, loans worth Rs 12 crore were distributed to 1,400 cattle rearers.
Shah lauded Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, saying, “The cooperative movement is gaining strength in Rajasthan. I congratulate Bhajanlal Sharma for achieving so much in such a short time.” He also praised the state government’s swift action in setting up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on the sensitive issue of paper leaks, calling it a bold and decisive step.
Referring to India’s evolving security policy, Shah brought up Operation Sindoor, saying, “Terrorist attacks were frequent during the Congress regime. But under PM Modi’s leadership, India has given strong replies to Pakistan. Operation Sindoor is the latest example of this resolve.”
Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, speaking at the event, announced that over 5,000 youth have been given government jobs in Rajasthan so far, and recruitment for 28,000 additional posts is set to begin soon. “Our goal is to provide employment to 4 lakh youth,” he said.
The stage arrangement at the event also carried a subtle political message. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma was seated on one side of Amit Shah, while a chair was reserved on his other side for former Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje.
Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and BJP State President Madan Rathore were seated near Sharma, while Deputy Chief Minister Diya Kumari was positioned next to Raje, a clear indication of the BJP’s efforts to maintain internal balance within its Rajasthan leadership.
The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives, and the Centre has assigned 54 cooperative-related tasks to the states, under which such conferences are being organised.