No.676/2020-2021

Aizawl, 26th March 2021 : The State Co-operation Minister Pu C.Lalrinsanga  inaugurated the new Mizoram State Co-operative Union (MSCU) Office & Training Centre building  at Bara Bazar, Aizawl Dawrpui, yesterday. The inaugural function, chaired by MSCU President Pu K.Lalchamreia, was also graced by the Co-operation Department Special Secretary Dr.Lalzirmawia Chhangte, Registrar of Co-operative Societies Pu Lalrinsanga, MSCU Board Members & office staff, representatives of the Dawrpui Local Council and other special invitees.

Congratulating the MSCU Board Members, the Co-operation Minister Pu C.Lalrinsanga said that the new well-equipped Office & Training Centre building had put them at the starting-line of the yet-to-be-finished race to promote and develop a more sustainable Cooperative Movement in the state. He also requested the founder members of the MSCU to write down the history as well as their experiences in the beginning, which should be properly archived for future record. The Minister also remarked that the Co-operative Movement was very suitable for the existing way of life in the Mizo society, which already had good communal bonding and co-ordination among the people. This was also the reason why Mizoram had the lowest number of Covid cases and deaths among all the states till date, and that, in fact, was what ‘co-operative movement’ stood for, he added. He urged the various Federations under MSCU to give serious attention to the many Primary Societies under them across the state, because good progress at the lower units would have a huge and positive impact on the state’s economy. As the central government had placed immense priority on the Co-operative Movement in the country as a whole, the Minister said that larger funds to promote and strengthen the Co-operatives would hopefully be available through NABARD, Article 275 and Central schemes such as PMJVK, etc. in the coming months.

The Mizoram State Co-operative Union (MSCU) was established on 29.3.1975 (Regn.No.B.1/74-75). After functioning from an Assam-type building for the last 46 years, construction of the new MSCU Office building was started on 6.3.2019, with the laying of the foundation stone by the current President, Pu K.Lalchamreia, and finally completed on 26.2.2021. The total cost of construction of the 6-storeyed building stands at Rs.350 lakhs, which was sanctioned under NEDP (Rs.150 lakhs) and SEDP (Rs.200 lakhs). The MSCU building also has a Printing Press at the ground floor, where, besides taking on other printing orders, the MSCU’s monthly magazine ‘Co-operative Tlangau’ is regularly printed and published too.