Mangaluru : Co-operative movement must be developed as a people’s movement with the participation of everyone, said State Minister for Co-operation K N Rajanna.

He was speaking after inaugurating the 70th All India Co-operative Week celebrations organised at the Urwa grounds on November 18 Saturday under the aegis of the Karnataka State Co-operative Federation, Karnataka State Co-operative Marketing Federation, SCDCC Bank, District Co-operative Union, Dakshina Kannada Milk Producers Union, Navodaya Grama Vikasa Charitable Trust, Department of Co-operation, Udupi District Agricultural Credit Co-operative Societies and other co-operative societies.

Continuing, the minister said the nation can progress when the rural people are economically empowered. Co-operative sector has played a vital role in this regard, he added.

Speaker U T Khader, MP Nalin Kumar Kateel, State Co-operative Federation President G T Devegowda, SCDCC Bank Chairman M N Rajendra Kumar, MLAs Vedavyas Kamath, Yashpal Suvarna, Mayor Sudhir Shetty Kannur and others were present.