Manipur,IMPHAL, February 2 (NNN): Imphal chapter of the Institute of Co-operative Management (ICM) and Manipur State Co-operative Union (MSCU) jointly observed the ‘International Year of Co-operative Day 2012’ under the theme ‘Co-operative Enterprises Build a Better World’ on Saturday.
A rally was organized as part of the observation to spread awareness to the masses about usefulness of the co-operatives. Hundreds of IMC and MSCU members joined the rally which flagged off from the ICM complex, Lamphelpat by Uripok constituency MLA L Nandakumar.
It culminated at the same complex after covering a large part of Lamphel area.
They held placards which read like “Join Co-operative for Better Living” and Empowerment of Women through Co-operatives.”
Later, briefing reporters, National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI) chairperson Jina Potsangbam said the rally was organized to sensitize the people about co-operatives and their expediency that helps in building up a better society and a better nation.
She said, “Co-operatives provide jobs to unemployed youths and now there are 4, 500 co-operatives in the country having as much as 5 lakh members.”
L Tompishak Singh, president, MSCU said that Manipur had the least amount of co-operatives and hence jobless people were on the rise, admitting that co-operatives could solve unemployment problem.
He added that only Rs 2.2 crore for the state co-operative in the state budget was not enough.