With the aim of strengthening the local economy of the state and promoting rural economy, the Cooperative Department will organize large-scale cooperative fairs in all 13 districts from 3 October to 31 December 2025. In these fairs based on special themes, farmers, tenants, artisans and women self-help groups will get an opportunity to display and sell their products, as well as departmental and inter-departmental schemes will also be displayed and promoted. For the successful organization of the fairs, departmental officers have been instructed to complete all the preparations in a timely manner. State Cooperative Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that the year 2025 has been declared as the International Cooperative Year by the United Nations Federation. Whose theme is ‘Cooperative Build a Better World’. He said that under the International Cooperative Year, various activities are being conducted across the state regarding cooperation. In this sequence, from 3rd October to 31st December, large cooperative fairs based on special themes will be organized in all the districts of the state. The purpose of these fairs is to strengthen the local economy as well as promote rural economy. Through these fairs, farmers, tenants, artisans, youth, women self-help groups and cooperative institutions of the state will be provided a direct market for display and sale of their products. Along with this, departmental and inter-departmental schemes will also be displayed and promoted through the fairs. Dr. Rawat said that while on one hand these cooperative fairs will give a new direction to the rural economy, on the other hand, local products will get wide recognition and encouragement. The departmental minister said that the participation of local MPs, regional MLAs, mayors, district panchayat chairmen, municipal bodies chairmen, block heads, persons associated with the cooperative movement and other local public representatives will be ensured in the fairs. He said that for the successful organization of the fairs, instructions have been given to the departmental officers to make all the preparations strong. Apart from this, the officials have been asked to promote the fairs as much as possible through digital mediums. Dr. Rawat said that continuous monitoring and reporting of the fairs will also be done. For this, the district level committee will have to compulsorily send a report to the state level committee every day. Also, instructions have been given to the officials to provide a detailed report to the government within 15 days after each fair. *Box* *Different themes given to each district* Departmental Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that these fairs to be held in each district will have different themes. In which a fair will be organized on the theme of handicraft conservation through cooperation in Almora district. In which organic products, local art, woolen products will be displayed and there will also be a seminar on natural farming. Similarly, the theme of rural empowerment through cooperation has been set for Pauri. The fair will be organized on the themes of mountain agriculture through cooperation in Bageshwar, religious tourism development in Rudraprayag, border prosperity in Pithoragarh, environmental protection, eco-tourism, promotion of forest cooperation in Chamoli, border development in Champawat, Himalayan bio-resources and adventure tourism in Uttarkashi, industrial agriculture in Udham Singh Nagar, spiritual prosperity in Haridwar, tourism development in Nainital, environmental protection and eco-tourism in Tehri and urban rural unity through cooperation in Dehradun. *Box-01* *When will the fairs be held in which district* Cooperative Minister Dr. Dhan Singh Rawat said that cooperative fairs will be organized in all the 13 districts of the state. These fairs will be held for five days in the mountainous areas while they will be organized for seven days in the plains. He said that different dates have been fixed for different districts. The fair will be held in Almora from 3 to 7 October. Similarly, fairs will be organized in Pauri from 7 to 13 October, Bageshwar from 13 to 17 October, Rudraprayag from 24 to 28 October, Pithoragarh from 29 October to 2 November, Chamoli from 3 to 7 November, Champawat from 14 to 20 November, Uttarkashi from 15 to 19 November, Nainital from 25 November to 1 December, Haridwar from 2 to 8 December, Udham Singh Nagar from 6 to 12 December, Tehri from 13 to 19 December and Dehradun from 20 to 26 December. The venue for organizing these fairs has been selected. *Box-02* *Youth will learn the lesson of cooperation in the fairs* Not only will the products of local farmers and cultivators get a market in the cooperative fairs, but various activities will also be organized in these fairs. In which students of local schools and universities will be introduced to the cooperative movement. For this, various competitions like art, debate and quiz will be organized. Apart from this, discussions on various topics like technical sessions, health sessions, digital literacy, e-commerce, B-2-B meetings, youth entrepreneurship, youth cooperatives, community cooperatives and women empowerment will be held in the fairs, apart from discussions on farmer’s seminar, cooperation in cooperatives, white and milk revolution and future plans will also be discussed
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