Co-operative movement is intervening in all spheres of people's lives; VN Vasavan with praises at co-operative commune of Kerala Kaumudi 

THRISSUR: Co-operative Minister VN Vasavan said that the co-operative movement is intervening in all spheres of people's lives. He was inaugurating the co-operative commune of Kerala Kaumudi Thrissur unit on the potential and challenges in the co-operative sector.

Kerala is the only state in India to have participated in the Asia Pacific Cooperation Summit held in Jordan. Kerala was invited to the summit recognising the size and greatness of the co-operative movement in Kerala. The Uralungal Society is the second co-operative society in the world. The turnover of Kerala Bank is Rs 1,60,000 crore. Kerala Bank has grown with a profit of Rs 209 crore, comparable to levels of new-gen banks.
There are more than 20 hospitals in the cooperative sector. The cost of treatment is lower as compared to private hospitals. Market intervention is also active under the leadership of the Consumerfed. This time there are around 1500 Onam markets. There is a 30 to 60 per cent discount on 13 items.

Under the aegis of the co-operative sector, 420 products are manufactured and exported. Tapioca and jackfruit are exported as value-added products, including to the UNITED States.

There are nine engineering colleges and five polytechnics in the field of education. There is also an MBA, BBA and nursing college. The government took over two medical colleges. There are 208 co-operative hospitals.
In the field of healthcare, after the medical college and the public sector, it is the co-operative sector that provides low-cost relief to the people. They have shifted to a system similar to the medical college, where even robotic surgery can be performed. It was the co-operatives that intervened in the public market during the Covid period and gave the price reduction of oximeters. They are also providing good service in the housing sector," the minister said.