Bold and new? We had a cooperation ministry for 13 years (1953-66)

Such a ministry was first formed in 1953, and Surendra Kumar Dey was the first and only Union Cabinet minister for Cooperation and Panchyati Raj

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the formation of a new ministry of cooperation. The formation of such a ministry had been announced in the Budget earlier this year. 

The move is being described by the more ardent amongst his supporters as bold and new. But nearly a week later no one knows what exactly the ministry’s mandate is going to be. 

The press release merely says “It will help deepen cooperatives as a true people-based movement reaching up to the grassroots”. Indeed, reaching up, rather than down where the grassroots are, could be the only new idea in this