Administration will do the needful for revival of Co-operative movement in the State – Atul Save
Nagpur :- Dr. Dipen Agrawal, President of Chamber of Associations of Maharashtra Industry and Trade (CAMIT) called upon Atul Save, Minister for Co-operation during his two days visit to Vidarbha and discussed way and means to boost the co-operative movement in the State, particularly in Vidarbha region.
Dr. Agrawal, emphasized that Maharashtra has been a leader in cooperative movement in India. Cooperative sector touches day to day life of more than five crore people in the State in some way or other. These include banking, credit societies, agricultural societies, processing units, fisheries and many more. The co-operative movement has made significant contribution in socio-economic development and in social integration. The cooperatives were initially confined mainly to the field of agricultural credit, but today they have spread to other sectors such as food processing, finance, marketing, housing, dairy, storage, textile, fisheries and various other industries.
The number of cooperative societies in the State is estimated to be about 2.30 lakh of these, 9 per cent are in agricultural credit, 10 percent are in non-agricultural credit, 52 per cent are in housing and remaining 29 percent are engaged in other activities. Maharashtra has a 32 per cent share of cooperative banks in the country which is highest among all states and union territories. It has been a key player in inclusion of society and economy of the state, it has been important in GDP, but the question that we need to relook is whether the system is delivering at the last mile, added Dr. Dipen Agrawal.
Dr. Dipen Agrawal highlighting the issues faced by the Cooperative Sector in the state said that there is need to revisit the Legislations governing Cooperatives so as to bring ease of doing business. The sector is State subject under the Constitution of India and State cooperative laws and their implementation vastly differ. They are further subject to business specific regulators. There is serious inadequacy in governance, there is urgent need to bring accountability of the people on the governing board of the cooperative society. Another major hurdle, pulling back the acceleration of performance of co-operative sector is the of lack of quality manpower and the inability to attract and retain competent professionals.
In Vidarbha region except for Cooperative banks and Housing societies, other sectors seem to have missed to aspire and deliver the objectives of cooperative movement. There is urgent need to work an extra mile to enhance the prospects of cooperation in the region, stressed Dr. Agrawal.
Minister for Cooperation, Atul Save after patiently hearing appreciated the concerns raised regarding cooperative movement particularly in the Vidarbha region assured to undertake fortnightly visit to Vidarbha to give momentum to cooperative movement in the region.
At the outset Dr. Dipen Agrawal welcomed Atul Save with a CAMIT scarf & floral bouquet.
