India: NCUI, HCL Foundation sign MoU to support branding of coops

NEW DELHI-In order to develop training infrastructure for cooperatives in India, the National Cooperative Union of India [NCUI] has joined hands with HCL Foundation.

According to Indian Cooperative, Dr Sudhir Mahajan, chief executive of NCUI, and Dr Nidhi Pundhir, vice president of HCL Foundation recently signed a memorandum of understanding [MoU] that also talks about offering both branding and marketing platforms to cooperatives and Self-Help Groups [SHGs] across states in India.

NCUI officials said that the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development & Cooperation [CEDC] of NCUI have been working closely with the HCL Foundation to finalise areas of collaboration. The aim is to establish a world-class livelihood-cum entrepreneurship development centre at the newly constructed Skill Development Centre of NCUI at Sector 80, Noida.

Over the course of the next three years, more than 5,000 participants, including women, youth, and artisans from marginalized communities will be mobilized for sustainable income-generating opportunities and 90 percent of the trained youth will be placed in the private sector and other relevant organizations, said Mahajan.

“All project participants would be equipped with concepts of financial and digital literacy; and would have access to regular health check-ups and awareness sessions. More than 200 SHGs would be nurtured, with the total number of members reaching over 3,000 and 50 multipurpose cooperatives will be formed too,” Mahajan is quoted as saying.

In addition to this, the HCL Foundation will work closely with NCUI for achieving shared goals like replicating the NCUI Haat and Incubation Centre projects in many states, mobilising communities and forming SHGs and cooperatives and providing branding, IT and promotion to artisans and cooperatives across India.

Dr. Nidhi Pundhir shared information about different projects being carried out by the HCL Foundation for empowerment of artisans, SHGs and needy communities across India.

She stressed the need to empower artisans by forming cooperative societies and empowering them through technology and livelihood interventions.

Pundhir expressed hope that the collaboration between NCUI and the HCL Foundation will go a long way in reaching out to artisans, youth, and women from underprivileged sections of society across India and developing successful enterprise development models through cooperative entrepreneurship.

She also offered to support the ongoing projects of NCUI through branding and market linkages of products and other interventions.

https://thecooperator.news/draft-of-national-coop-policy-in-india-awaits-ministers-signature/

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