Amit Shah Inaugurated Cooperative Sector Projects in Odisha | 09 Mar 2026

Why in News? 

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for multiple cooperative sector and development projects worth over ₹3,770 crore in Odisha during an event held in Bhubaneswar. 

Key Points: 

• Initiatives: Projects of the National Dairy Development Board, Odisha State Cooperative Milk Producers’ Federation, and the Odisha government were inaugurated or had foundation stones laid during the event. 
  • A total of 173 projects of the Odisha government were inaugurated, including 61 completed projects worth ₹1,230 crore and 112 new projects worth ₹2,116 crore. 
• Cooperative Sector Development: The Union government and the Odisha government plan to build a strong cooperative network in every village, particularly in the dairy sector, inspired by the cooperative model of Amul. 
  • A new cooperative policy for Odisha is planned to strengthen dairy, fisheries, and other cooperative activities, aiming to boost rural income and women’s participation in economic activities. 
• Revival of Sugar Mills: The restart of the Badamba Sugar Mill has been completed by Indian Potash Limited, and the government aims to revive other closed sugar mills across the country through cooperative efforts. 
• Sulphuric Acid Plant–III: The third stream of a sulphuric acid plant was inaugurated at Paradip at the facility of Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited. 
• Forensic Infrastructure: The foundation stone for a campus of National Forensic Sciences University was laid in Odisha. 
  • Under the new criminal laws, Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) visits have been made mandatory for serious crimes punishable with more than seven years of imprisonment, strengthening scientific investigation. 
• Cyber Infrastructure: Specialized cybercrime and economic offences branches have been launched in 20 districts of Odisha to enhance digital and financial crime investigation capabilities.  
• Conviction Rate: Odisha has recorded a conviction rate of more than 87% in FIRs registered under the new criminal laws.  
• Significance: The initiatives aim to strengthen cooperative institutions, forensic infrastructure, agricultural processing, and industrial capacity in Odisha, contributing to rural development, improved law enforcement, and greater self-reliance in fertilizer production.