NEW DELHI: National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), a statutory corporation under the administrative control of Ministry of Cooperation, launched Sahakar Mitra Internship scheme. This was stated by Minister for Cooperation Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday.
The objective of the scheme
- To provide a deep immersion opportunity to professional graduates on the role, contribution and impact of NCDC and also cooperatives.
- To enable the professional graduates, learn the context and practical working of NCDC and cooperatives.
- To orient professional graduates to the cooperative business model and engage themselves in start- up cooperatives.
- To enable professional graduates take up leadership and/or entrepreneur roles in FPO organized under Cooperative Acts.
- To assist needy cooperatives in preparation of business plans, projects plans and projects.
Individuals holding a professional qualification, such as a bachelor’s degree in Agri, Dairy, Animal Husbandry, Veterinary Sciences, Fisheries, Horticulture, Textiles, Handloom, or IT, are eligible for the Sahakar Mitra Internship scheme, the minister said. In addition, those pursuing or completing an MBA in Agri Business, Cooperative Management, M.Com, MCA, Finance, International Trade, Forestry, Rural Development, or Project Management can also apply. Candidates with Inter ICAI or Inter ICWA qualifications are considered as well. All applicants must have their qualifications duly recommended by the Head of the Department from UGC/AICTE/ICAR recognized Universities or Institutions. The selection process for interns under the scheme is based on their bio-data, along with the recommendation of the sponsoring institutions.
The Sahakar Mitra Internship scheme contributes significantly to the development of the cooperative sector in the country in several ways. It helps promote and enable young professional graduates to take on leadership and entrepreneurial roles within Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) organized under the Cooperative Act. The scheme also orients these graduates to the cooperative business model, encouraging them to engage in the establishment of start-up cooperatives. Additionally, the scheme provides valuable assistance to cooperatives in need by helping them prepare business plans and projects, thereby strengthening their operational capacities and fostering growth within the sector, Shah said.
Under the Sahakar Mitra scheme on internship program (SIP), NCDC offers internship opportunities to students of professional courses to gain learning experience in the areas of functioning of NCDC and related aspects of cooperatives. NCDC plans and promotes programmes on co-operative principles. The Finance schemes of NCDC cover activities such as agro-processing, horti-processing, credit, inputs, computerization, storage, cold chain, textile, handloom, sugar, ethanol, dairy, fisheries, livestock, piggery, poultry, renewable energy, rural housing, scheduled caste and scheduled tribes, women cooperatives, animal care/health, hospitality and transport, electricity and power, hospitals, healthcare and education, etc.The Sahakar Mitra internship scheme aims to support the socio-economic development of the country by enabling cooperative institutions to benefit from the innovative ideas of young professionals while providing interns with valuable field experience. It offers professional graduates practical exposure to the workings of the NCDC and cooperatives, helping them gain hands-on knowledge. Additionally, the scheme provides young professionals from academic institutions an opportunity to develop leadership and entrepreneurial skills through Farmer Producer Organizations established under Cooperative Acts, he added.
