Delhi launches 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi' cooperative week campaign

Delhi government's Department of Cooperation, led by the Rekha Gupta-led administration, launched the 'Sahkar Se Samriddhi - Cooperative Week 2026' campaign on June 30, featuring awareness drives, seminars, tree plantation campaigns, quiz competitions, and community engagement activities. The initiative promotes cooperative movement as a development tool.

Background: Cooperatives play crucial role in India's rural economy and agricultural sector. The cooperative movement, initiated by Gandhi and promoted post-independence, remains significant for collective action in dairy, agriculture, and consumer sectors. Recent years saw renewed focus on cooperative strengthening under the Ministry of Cooperation (created 2021). Delhi's campaign reflects this renewed policy emphasis.

Key Facts: (1) Campaign targets awareness about cooperative benefits; (2) Activities include environmental (tree plantation), educational (seminars, quiz), and community engagement; (3) Timing aligns with national Cooperative Movement promotion; (4) Multi-sector approach covering production, distribution, and consumption cooperatives.

Why It Matters: Cooperatives provide inclusive growth mechanisms, reduce rural-urban disparities, and strengthen grassroots economies. They address market failures, provide credit access to marginalized communities, and promote collective bargaining. Delhi's campaign signals municipal commitment to sustainable cooperative development.

Exam Angle: Cooperative movement, inclusive growth, Directive Principles (Art. 43-44), rural development, social economy. Previous UPSC focus on cooperatives in agriculture, dairy sectors. Likely questions: cooperative movement's role in inclusive growth, government policies for cooperative strengthening, cooperative sector challenges.