Kolkata

Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah is set to visit West Bengal this week, where he will take part in multiple programmes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

According to the schedule, Shah will arrive at Kolkata airport on February 18 around 1:30 pm and then travel by helicopter to Mayapur. He is expected to spend nearly two hours at the ISKCON temple complex there.

During his visit, Shah will attend the 152nd birth anniversary observance of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur at ISKCON in Mayapur.

Political temperatures in West Bengal have been rising as the state prepares for Assembly polls later this year.

Separately, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of “Sahkar se Samriddhi” and led by Amit Shah, the Ministry of Cooperation has undertaken structural reforms aimed at modernising and increasing transparency in the cooperative sector, an official release said.

As part of these efforts, a high-level ‘Manthan’ meeting of Cooperation Ministers from States and Union Territories will be convened on February 17, 2026, at Mahatma Mandir in Gandhinagar, Gujarat, under Shah’s chairmanship. The meeting will be attended by Cooperation Ministers as well as senior officials holding positions such as Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary and Secretary.

The gathering is intended to review key initiatives of the Ministry of Cooperation, evaluate progress so far, share best practices among states and outline a coordinated roadmap for the future.

Among the major issues slated for discussion is the establishment of two lakh new multi-purpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), along with dairy and fisheries cooperatives, to boost rural economic activity. Participants will also deliberate on expanding modern storage infrastructure under the world’s largest grain storage initiative, aimed at enhancing storage capacity, stabilising prices and improving farmers’ access to markets.

The meeting will further examine the role and expectations of states in newly created national-level cooperative bodies such as the National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) and Bharatiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL), which focus on exports, organic farming and quality seed distribution.

Additional agenda items include reforms to state cooperative laws in line with the 97th Constitutional Amendment, improving the financial health of cooperative sugar mills, promoting sustainability in the dairy sector and establishing new dairy cooperatives in collaboration with Amul and the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).

Discussions are also expected to cover increasing pulses and maize production, addressing challenges faced by cooperative banks, strengthening Shared Service Entities and umbrella organisations, expanding membership outreach, and improving communication strategies.

States’ expectations regarding the computerisation of PACS and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) offices, effective use of the National Cooperative Database, capacity building and training, and better implementation of schemes under the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) will also be reviewed.

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The Manthan meeting is expected to reinforce cooperative federalism and deepen Centre–State coordination, positioning cooperatives as a key driver of grassroots prosperity, employment and self-reliance.