Gangtok, May 6: Dr. Mangal Jit Rai, Chairman of the Sikkim State Cooperative Union (SICUN), met with Dr. J.M. Vyas, the first Vice Chancellor of Tribhuwan Sahakar University, India’s first university dedicated to cooperative education, during a visit to Gandhinagar.

The meeting focused on several key initiatives aimed at enhancing the cooperative sector in the Northeast. Dr. Rai presented the Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the proposed North East Cooperative Excellence Training Centre, planned for Tamla Village, Assam Lingzey, Sikkim. The centre is set to offer world-class residential and training facilities, benefiting rural communities across the region.

Dr. Rai also discussed the strong support extended by Sikkim’s Chief Minister P.S. Tamang (Golay) to the cooperative movement, including a Rs. 8 per litre incentive for dairy cooperatives and initiatives promoting local cooperative products. He also shared details of a new award scheme for cooperative societies, with cash prizes of Rs. 10 lakh, Rs. 7 lakh, and Rs. 5 lakh, to be announced during this year’s Independence Day celebrations.

Dr. Rai invited Dr. Vyas to visit Sikkim and witness firsthand the dynamic cooperative movement in the state. Dr. Vyas expressed his support for the ongoing initiatives and assured his full backing for cooperative development in the region.