Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Wednesday attended the oath-taking and felicitation ceremony of Kedar Nath Gupta, the newly appointed Authorized Officer of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Bank Limited. The event took place at Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium in Raipur. On this occasion, CM Sai virtually inaugurated a new branch of Apex Bank in Farsabahar, Jashpur district, and congratulated the local residents on the development.
Speaking at the event, CM Sai said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, the vision of “prosperity through cooperation” is being realized. Inspired by their mission, the state government is working to integrate every household in Chhattisgarh with the cooperative movement. He expressed confidence that the cooperative sector in the state would be further strengthened under the leadership of Gupta.
Boosting Dairy Sector and Rural Banking
Highlighting ongoing efforts to promote cooperative activities, CM Sai announced a collaborative initiative with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to enhance milk production in the state. He informed that the government recently launched a dairy animal distribution scheme as a pilot project across six selected districts, where beneficiaries are being provided with two milch cows each.
CM Sai also emphasized a major initiative launched this year on Panchayati Raj Day to provide banking services to farmers and rural residents. A total of 1,460 Atal Digital Service Centers have been established at gram panchayat buildings, bringing banking access to the village level. He assured that by the next Panchayati Raj Day, this facility will be extended to every gram panchayat across the state, significantly easing banking access for farmers.
Recognition of Cooperative Reforms and Support to Farmers
The Chief Minister acknowledged major reforms in the cooperative sector carried out during the tenure of former CM and current Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh. He credited Dr. Singh with eliminating the burden of high-interest short-term loans for farmers and reducing interest rates over time. Today, farmers receive short-term agricultural loans at zero interest.
ALSO READ: Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai stresses on last-mile healthcare access in review meeting
Inaugurating the new Apex Bank branch in Farsabahar, CM Sai congratulated the people of the region and noted that farmers will no longer need to travel 50–60 km to Pathalgaon for banking services. He extended his appreciation to the Department of Cooperation for this meaningful initiative.
Historical Legacy and Growth of Cooperatives in Chhattisgarh
Assembly Speaker Dr. Raman Singh began his address by paying tribute to the pioneers of the cooperative movement in Chhattisgarh, including Shri Vamanrao Lakhe and Thakur Pyarelal. He emphasized that the roots of today’s thriving cooperative ecosystem were planted by these great personalities.
Dr. Singh highlighted that 2025 is the International Year of Cooperatives, and that transformative developments are underway in the sector thanks to the tireless efforts of Union Minister Amit Shah. He praised CM Sai for his record-setting work to uplift farmers. CM Sai is the first Chief Minister in India to procure paddy at a rate of ₹3,100 per quintal with a cap of 21 quintals per acre.
ALSO READ: As Sushasan Tihar draws to an end, a call for ‘Developed Chhattisgarh’ from CM Vishnu Deo Sai
He noted that the Apex Bank is now the most powerful cooperative organization in the state, operating with an impressive turnover of ₹40,000 crore. So far, it has disbursed ₹7,500 crore in loans to farmers across the state.
100% DBT Success and Call for Full Farmer Inclusion
Dr. Singh applauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s efforts in ensuring 100% financial inclusion, which has resulted in all benefits being directly deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts without any intermediaries. He stated that vast potential still exists in the cooperative sector and called for the complete inclusion of all farmers in the Apex Bank and cooperative network.
In a gesture of corporate social responsibility, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited handed over a cheque of ₹2.25 crore to Sathy Sai Heart Hospital in Raipur. The donation was made in the presence of CM Vishnu Deo Sai. He thanked the representatives of Mazagon Dock for their generous contribution toward healthcare.
Prominent Attendees at the Ceremony
The event was attended by Cooperation Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, Revenue Minister Shri Tankaram Verma, Food Minister Shri Dayal Das Baghel, MLAs Shri Rajesh Munat, Shri Anuj Sharma, Shri Motilal Sahu, Shri Purandar Mishra, Guru Khushwant Saheb, and Shri Sunil Soni. Several chairpersons of various corporations and boards, Additional Chief Secretary for Cooperation Shri Subrat Sahu, and a large number of dignitaries and citizens were also present.
