Continuing its endeavor to build linkages with stakeholders and promoting cooperative identity among the vulnerable sections of society, National Cooperatives Union of India (NCUI) has collaborated with the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) and the India HIV/AIDS Alliance.

On 14 February, Dr. Sudhir Mahajan, IAS (Retd.), Chief Executive of National Cooperatives Union of India (NCUI) and Mr. Arbind Singh, National Coordinator of the National Association of Street Vendors of India (NASVI) signed an MoU to organize stakeholder consultation workshops at national and regional level for building consensus on key issues relating to enhancing livelihood options of street vendors, promoting cooperative identity among the street vendor community, registering new cooperatives for empowering street vendors, and identifying suitable technologies and approaches. NASVI & NCUI also plan to conceptualize and execute pilot projects to develop sustainable livelihood models and to organize capacity building programs for supporting street vendors in utilizing the power of social media and technological interventions to further their business goals.

On 23 February, Dr. Mahajan and Dr. Rochana Mitra, acting Chief Executive of the India HIV/AIDS Alliance, signed an MoU in the presence of Shri Dileep Sanghani, President of NCUI. In a historic step to empower the transgender community in India, NCUI and India HIV/AIDS Alliance will organize stakeholder consultation workshops at the national and regional level to build consensus on key issues and identify success stories and approaches for enhancing the livelihood opportunities of the transgender community. Strategies will be formulated to ensure the holistic development of the community with a specific focus on economic development while retaining their cultural ethos and diversity.