Modi’s Leadership, the Vision of Bringing Cooperatives to Every Household is becoming reality: CM Sai

Raipur, June 11

Chief Minister Attends the Oath-taking Ceremony of Newly Appointed Apex Bank Authorized Officer
Inaugurates New Apex Bank Branch Virtually

Raipur, June 11, 2025: Chief Minister Shri Vishnu Deo Sai today attended the oath-taking and felicitation ceremony of Shri Kedarnath Gupta, the newly appointed Authorized Officer of Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Bank (Apex Bank) at Balbir Singh Juneja Indoor Stadium in the capital, Raipur. On this occasion, the Chief Minister also virtually inaugurated a new branch of Apex Bank in Farsabahar, Jashpur district, and extended his best wishes to the people of the region.

CM Shri Sai said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi and Cooperation Minister Shri Amit Shah, the vision of “prosperity through cooperation” is being realized. Inspired by this vision, the state government is actively working to connect every household with the cooperative movement. He said that under the leadership of the new Authorized Officer, the cooperative sector in Chhattisgarh would grow even stronger.

The Chief Minister added that to promote cooperative activities, the state is working with the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) to boost milk production. Recently, a pilot project was launched to distribute two milch cows each to beneficiaries across six selected districts.

CM Shri Sai highlighted a major initiative launched on Panchayati Raj Day this year to bring banking services to rural communities. As part of this, 1,460 Atal Digital Service Centers have been set up in Gram Panchayats, allowing villagers access to banking services right at the Panchayat buildings. He announced that by the next Panchayati Raj Day, every Gram Panchayat in the state will have this facility, providing significant relief to farmers.

He also acknowledged the significant cooperative reforms carried out during the tenure of former Chief Minister and current Speaker Dr. Raman Singh. CM Sai stated that under Dr. Singh’s leadership, farmers were freed from high-interest short-term loans, and interest rates were gradually reduced. Today, farmers are receiving interest-free short-term loans for agricultural purposes. He congratulated the people of Farsabahar on the opening of the new Apex Bank branch and noted that farmers would no longer need to travel 50–60 kilometers to Pathalgaon for banking services. He commended the Cooperation Department for this noble initiative.

Dr. Raman Singh Recalls the Pioneers of Cooperative Movement
Speaker Dr. Raman Singh began his address by paying tribute to the great pioneers of the cooperative movement in Chhattisgarh, such as Shri Vamanrao Lakhe and Thakur Pyarelal, whose efforts laid the foundation of today’s robust cooperative network. He emphasized that 2025 is the International Year of Cooperatives, and under Union Minister Amit Shah’s guidance, the sector is undergoing transformative changes.

Dr. Singh praised CM Shri Sai’s tireless efforts, highlighting that he is the first Chief Minister in the country to procure paddy at ₹3,100 per quintal for up to 21 quintals per acre, which has brought prosperity to farmers. He commended the government for expanding the cooperative movement to even the most remote parts of the state. He also shared that Apex Bank, with a turnover of ₹40,000 crore, is now the strongest financial institution in the state, having disbursed ₹7,500 crore in loans to farmers so far.

Dr. Singh noted that due to PM Modi’s initiatives, every citizen has now been connected to the banking system. As a result, 100% of government benefits are directly credited into beneficiaries’ bank accounts without any intermediaries. He called for speeding up efforts to fully integrate all farmers with the Apex Bank and the cooperative network, as the sector still holds immense untapped potential.

Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited Donates ₹2.25 Crore to Satyasai Hospital
During the same event, in the presence of Chief Minister Shri Sai, Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited handed over a cheque of ₹2.25 crore as CSR support to Satyasai Heart Hospital in Raipur. The Chief Minister expressed gratitude to the representatives of Mazagon Dock for their generous and noble contribution.

The event was attended by Cooperation Minister Shri Kedar Kashyap, Agriculture Minister Shri Ramvichar Netam, Revenue Minister Shri Tankaram Verma, Food Minister Shri Dayaldas Baghel, MLAs Shri Rajesh Munat, Shri Anuj Sharma, Shri Motilal Sahu, Shri Purandar Mishra, Guru Khushwant Saheb, Shri Sunil Soni, Chairpersons of various corporations and boards, Additional Chief Secretary (Cooperation) Shri Subrat Sahu, and a large number of dignitaries.