Sat Jan 04 16:58:26 UTC 2025: ## Karnataka Minister Lauds Century-Old Cooperative Movement at Gadag Conference
**Gadag, Karnataka (January 4, 2025)** – Karnataka’s Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs, H.K. Patil, lauded the over-century-old cooperative movement in India, highlighting its significant contribution to the nation’s economic and social development. He made these remarks while inaugurating the 39th Annual Research Conference on “Cooperative Business Model for Resilience and Sustainability” in Gadag.
The conference, organized by Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat Raj University in collaboration with several other organizations, focused on the role of cooperatives in achieving sustainability. Patil traced the history of the movement in Gadag district, noting the establishment of the first agricultural credit cooperative society in Kanaginahal in 1905 by Siddanagouda Sannaramanagouda Patil.
The Minister emphasized the crucial role cooperatives played in financial inclusion, particularly in rural areas, from the 1904 Cooperative Societies Act to the 2011 97th constitutional amendment. He highlighted India’s position as home to the world’s largest cooperative sector, with 8.5 crore societies and 29 crore members, significantly impacting economic development and social reconstruction. Patil also acknowledged the contributions of past cooperative leaders, including his own father, former minister K.H. Patil. The year has been declared as the “Cooperative Year,” making the conference’s location in Gadag—the birthplace of the movement in the district—particularly significant, he added. The conference featured presentations from numerous researchers and experts in the cooperative sector.
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