NEW DELHI, FEB 3: Rajya Sabha MP Satnam Singh Sandhu on Tuesday called on the Union Government to establish a regional center of the Tribhuvan Cooperative University in Punjab.
Raising the matter through a Special Mention in Parliament, Sandhu noted that such a center would provide the necessary professional training and innovation to revitalize the state’s cooperative sector, which serves as the backbone of its rural economy.
The MP mentioned that Punjab’s cooperative tradition, dating back to 1891, was instrumental in the success of the Green and White Revolutions. However, he pointed out that the sector currently faces significant hurdles, including non-performing assets and a lack of expansion.
“Punjab’s cooperative sector is currently limited to merely surviving rather than growing on a large scale,” Sandhu said.
He further mentioned that the establishment of a specialized university center would infuse new energy into the system through modern leadership.
Sandhu also lauded the central leadership for the “Cooperation for Prosperity” initiative and the formation of a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation. He noted that with nearly 20,000 societies and 35 lakh members, the sector impacts a vast majority of the state’s population. He suggested that focusing on food processing and value addition would encourage crop diversification and empower young farmers.
A cooperative refers to a voluntary, member-owned organization established to promote the shared economic interests of its community rather than maximizing profit for external shareholders.
In Punjab, this movement acts as the backbone of the rural economy, operating on the democratic principle of “one member, one vote.” These societies, such as Markfed or Milkfed (Verka), allow thousands of farmers and small-scale producers to pool their resources, purchase high-quality inputs like seeds and fertilizers at fair prices, and sell their products collectively to avoid exploitation by middlemen. By functioning as a bridge between individual workers and the larger market, cooperatives ensure that even those with small landholdings or limited capital can achieve financial self-reliance and contribute to the state’s agricultural prosperity.
