Cooperation Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani Engages with IAS Trainees at LBSNAA, Highlights Crucial Role of Cooperatives in India’s Grassroots Development
Ashish Kumar Bhutani, a 1992-batch IAS officer of the Assam–Meghalaya cadre and currently serving as Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, delivered a detailed address to civil service officer trainees at Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration (LBSNAA) in Mussoorie.
During his interaction, Bhutani underscored the growing relevance of the cooperative sector in advancing development at the grassroots level and strengthening governance mechanisms across the country.
Interaction with IAS Officer Trainees
The interactive session was conducted on March 5, 2026, as part of the Phase-I Professional Course being undertaken by IAS officer trainees of the 2025 batch.
Officer trainees from the RBCS programme also participated in the discussion. The session focused on the expanding role that cooperative institutions can play in promoting inclusive economic growth and empowering rural communities across India.
Training Session at LBSNAA
The programme took place at LBSNAA in Mussoorie, widely regarded as one of India’s most prestigious training institutions for civil servants.
The interaction formed an integral component of the training curriculum for the IAS officer trainees of the 2025 batch, who are currently undergoing the Phase-I IAS Professional Course.
In addition to the IAS trainees, participants included officer trainees from the RBCS stream who attended the session as part of their academic and professional training programme.
Siddharth Jain, Joint Secretary in the Ministry of Cooperation, was also present during the programme and participated in the proceedings.
The objective of the session was to introduce and familiarise future administrators with the significant role and untapped potential of the cooperative sector in governance and development initiatives.
Theme: Leveraging the Cooperative Sector in Governance
While addressing the trainees, Bhutani spoke extensively on the theme “Leveraging the Cooperative Sector in the Field.”
He explained that cooperative institutions can serve as highly effective mechanisms for driving development and strengthening participatory governance.
According to Bhutani, the cooperative model can contribute significantly in several critical areas, including:
Promoting inclusive economic expansion
Advancing rural development and empowering local communities
Encouraging greater public participation in development initiatives
Enhancing the delivery of essential services at the grassroots level
He urged the young officer trainees to think creatively about how cooperative frameworks could be utilized in innovative ways when they assume administrative responsibilities in the future.
Government Efforts to Strengthen the Cooperative Ecosystem
During the interaction, the Cooperation Secretary also discussed a range of initiatives being undertaken by the Ministry of Cooperation to reinforce and modernize the cooperative ecosystem across India.
Among the programmes highlighted was the Bharat Taxi initiative, which aims to create new livelihood opportunities through transport services organised under cooperative models.
The initiative seeks to enable individuals and communities to benefit from collective ownership structures while simultaneously generating sustainable employment and income opportunities.
Significance of Dairy Cooperatives
Bhutani further elaborated on the crucial role played by dairy cooperatives in supporting India’s rural economy.
He pointed out that dairy cooperative institutions have historically served as an important support system for farmers by ensuring better market access, more stable incomes, and institutional backing.
Such cooperative structures, he said, have made a substantial contribution to improving the economic stability of rural households and strengthening local economies.
The success achieved by dairy cooperative networks clearly demonstrates how community-based institutions can empower farmers and significantly improve livelihoods in rural regions.
Vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi”
The initiatives discussed during the session are aligned with the government’s broader vision of “Sahakar Se Samriddhi,” which emphasizes achieving prosperity through cooperation.
This vision seeks to expand the cooperative movement across multiple sectors of the economy, including agriculture, transportation services, and rural entrepreneurship.
Policy planners believe that strengthening cooperative institutions across these sectors can play a decisive role in ensuring more inclusive, balanced, and sustainable economic development throughout the country.
Preparing the Next Generation of Administrators
Officials observed that interactions of this nature are designed to equip young civil service trainees with a deeper understanding of the cooperative framework and its developmental potential.
By gaining knowledge about the structure, functioning, and operational mechanisms of cooperative institutions, future administrators will be better prepared to implement government programmes effectively at the state, district, and grassroots levels.
The session offered trainees valuable insights into ongoing policy reforms, institutional arrangements, and emerging initiatives aimed at modernizing and expanding the cooperative sector in India.
