The Centre is examining the proposed scheme for direct disbursement of food subsidies in cash, instead of foodgrains under the Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS), as demanded by some states.

The final contours of the scheme will be worked out in consultation with concerned agencies like the Ministry of Finance (Department of Expenditure) and Planning Commission, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister K V Thomas has said.

The governments of Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Delhi have submitted proposals for direct disbursement of the food subsidy in cash to BPL/Antyodya Anna Yojna (AAY) families on a pilot basis in five districts, instead of distribution of foodgrains under the TPDS.

Later, the Bihar government also submitted a proposal in this regard, the minister said.

Based on the proposals, a draft was prepared to test the feasibility of this alternative mode of transfer of food subsidy for BPL/AYY families under the TPDS.

Under the scheme, the Department of Food and Public Distribution will allocate funds to states for disbursement of the cash subsidy, based upon the number of AAY and BPL ration cards, Thomas said.

There is no proposal at present for indexing the cash transferred to the beneficiaries to the rise in prices, he said.

He said the terms of reference of the task force on implementation of the Aadhar Project have been extended to examine and suggest an implementable solution for direct

transfer of subsidies on food and kerosene using Unique Identification cards.

The task force is expected to submit its report by August31, 2011, Thomas said.

Fertiliser major IFFCO’s Paradip unit in Orissa has won two prestigious awards for

“Excellence in Energy Conservation” and  ”Corporate Social Responsibility.”

“Excellent Energy Efficient Unit” award under ‘National Energy Management Award – 2011′ was presented at a function organised by Confederation of Indian Industry (CII),

Hyderabad, IFFCO sources said in Bhuveneshwar on Wednesday.

The Prize was presented by Director General of the Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ajay Mathur at a ceremony held on August 25 at Hyderabad. The Prestigious Award was received by M R Patel, Sr. Executive Director of IFFCO, Paradip Unit.

Besides, IFFCO’s Paradip Unit was Awarded by Rotary Club of Bhubaneswar for Significant Contribution in CSR Activities. A trophy was presented on August 25 at the Award giving ceremony in Bhubaneswar.

It may be recalled that last year also IFFCO’s Paradip Unit had won “National Energy Conservation Award 2010 along with Certificate of Merit” for its significant  contribution

towards Energy Conservation in Fertilizer Sector from the Union Minister of Power.

Besides, the IFFCO unit also received 11th Global Greentech Environment Excellence Award 2010 – Silver” for its outstanding achievement in Environment Management in

Fertilizer Sector. PTI

A decision on implementing the recommendations of the Vaidyanathan Committee to strengthen rural cooperative credit institutions will be taken soon, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday.

Based on the recommendations of the Vaidyanathan Task Force and the Chaturvedi Task Force, a revival package for Long Term Cooperative Credit Structures (LTCCS) is under

consideration of the government, Minister of State for Finance S S Palanimanickam said during Question Hour.

“The report is still under consideration and very soon a decision will be taken,” he said.

The Vaidyanathan Task Force was set in 2004 to revamp rural cooperative credit institutions and favoured revival of cooperative institutions offering short and long term credit facilities.

Later in September 2009, another Task Force headed by G C Chaturvedi was set up to re-analyse the Vaidyanathan Committee recommendation on revival of cooperatives offering long term credit.

Orissa State Vigilance has arrested the General Manager of Urban Cooperative Bank, Cuttack, on charges of conniving with an unscrupulous trading agency and providing it a hefty loan without following proper procedures.

The Vigilance sleuths raided the office of General Manager Nilakantha Das, who has been produced before the court and remanded in judicial custody till September 7.

According to Vigilance officials, Das was allegedly involved in extension of loan to the tune of Rs. 2.21 crore to one Shiva Chrome Chemicals Private Limited, Chandikhol, between 2000 and 2004 in conspiracy with owners of the firm as well as fellow officials of the bank.

Courtsey:IE

After his controversial remarks against Brahmins and tribals triggered unrest, BJP in Madhya Pradesh has asked Cooperatives Minister Gaurishankar Bisen to cancel his scheduled tours of the state.

“The party leadership has decided to advise Bisen to cancel his trips in the state to avoid a further confrontation with party workers and others,” BJP sources said in Bhopal on Monday.

Bisen is facing protests not only from opposition parties but also from a section of BJP workers after he allegedly made remarks against Brahmins at Panna recently.

Earlier, the minister faced flak over his remarks against tribals and for punishing a tribal patwari (local revenue officer) in public.

Orissa assembly was adjourned sine die on Friday ending the 10-day brief monsoon session with the passage of the much-debated Orissa Co-operative Societies  (Amendment) Bill, 2011.

With passage of the Orissa Co-operative Societies (Amendment) Bill, the tenure of cooperative bodies comprising primary, central and apex society would be five years instead of four years.

The Bill has provision for uniform and proper representation of schedule Caste, Schedule Tribe, Other Backward Class (including socially and educationally backward classes) and women to the committee of the societies proportionate to their numbers in the society.

The last day of the session also witnessed uproarious scenes with opposition Congress and BJP members raising anti-government slogans demanding discussion of the alleged

horse-trading during last year’s Rajya Sabha polls and law and order situation.

While BJP members launched a sit-in dharna in well of the House, the Congress members were on their legs demanding debate over these issues.

Madhya Pradesh Cooperative Minister is fond of landing himself in soup. Before the fire  of one controversy is quelled , the Minister Gauri Shankar Bisen courts next.

Panna-based District Cooperative Central Bank Chairman Sanjay Nagaich had alleged that Bisen had called him a thief.

Reacting to the allegation ,a two-member committee has been appointed by the state BJP to probe the alleged objectionable remark of state Co-operatives Minister Gauri Shankar Bisen against the bank chairman at Panna.

Madhya Pradesh BJP President Prabhat Jha named senior BJP leaders Nandkumar Chouhan and Rameshwar Sharma as members of the committee, party sources said.

Corruption in cooperatives have become order of day.Leave aside the small cooperatives, even giants are falling prey to greed and stealing. The reputation of some of the top cooperative brands till yesterday lie in tatters today ,thanks to hanky-panky of a  few. NAFED, NCCF-the list is ever growing with CBI and CVO slueths knocking at their door.

Anna Hazare has ,meanwhile galvanized whole of India and Cooperative Sector can not remain untouched. Leading Cooperative leaders of the land have supported Anna in unison in the country and vowed to free the system of corruption.

Talking to Indiancooperative .com, President of NCUI Chandra Pal Singh Yadav said that public anger against corruption in their day to day existence has crossed all limits and we support Anna for bringing in strong Lok Pal bill.

But should not there be a strong Lok Pal for Cooperative sector also? Mr Yadav responded by saying that cooperative sector is a field where people are active with a mission of service to people. It is not a place to earn profit. We, however have Multi State Cooperative Act under which severe punishment is meted out to them who indulge in wrong-doing.

NCUI President Mr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, however said that cooperative institutions should have their own code of conduct which must be adhered to so that corrupt practices are kept at bay.

The Chairman of GCCMF which markets brand Amul also lent his support to Anna Hazare and said that progress of Amul is testimony of the fact that we have kept wrong doing at bay all these years.

Anna is doing great service to the nation and we extend all possible support to him, added  Bhatol.

Support for Anna is pouring from various quarters of cooperative world as people feel that a strong Lok Pal is the demand of the time. It is true also as wrong doing in cooperatives have created a trust deficit in the minds of people and many say “let us cleanse our cooperatives in this Anna wave.”

Indiancooperative.com invites readers to lend their support by writing in comment box.

The Chairman of Dhanlaxmi Cooperative Credit society was arrested by Santacruz police on the charges of cheating investors of their money.Mr Radheshyam Gupta, the Chairman is accused of swindling crores of rupees of gullible investors who believed in him and put  their fund with the credit society.

The local police was non cooperative in the beginning and cited it a matter of court when helpless investors approached them with their stories of woes.Obviously Mr Gupta had “taken care of them” so that complaint against him is not lodged.

Credit goes to Vishwas Nangre Patil, Additional Commissioner of Police who swung into action when the matter came to his notice. The Chairman Mr Radheshyam Gupta was arrested.

Investors are clueless as to how they can get back their money.

Round two of cooperative war raging in the state of Bihar goes to Government with Ramadhar Singh taking oath today as cooperative minister once again. Governor Devanand Konwar would administer oath to Singh at a simple function at Rajbhavan on Friday, Rajbhavan sources said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had earlier during the day conveyed to the Governor his decision to re-induct Singh as a member of his cabinet.

Singh had resigned as Cooperative Minister a day after the RJD had petitioned Governor Devanand Konwar seeking his dismissal in the wake of the lower court’s order declaring him absconder.

Singh was declared an absconder by a court in May 1995 after he had repeatedly failed to appear before it in connection with the case registered by the police in 1992 for making communal and inflammatory speech in Aurangabad.

The cooperative war in Bihar has taken ugly turn with BJP and RJD pitted against each other. The deputy chief minister has publicly called Ramadhar Singh’s arrest and prosecution, a handy work of RJD. Mr Modi promised to reinstate the jailed minister after the charges are disproved against him.

Minister on his part said that he  is not a criminal as neither a case of dacoity nor murder has been registered against me.

Minister in his first stint was busy reducing  the influence of RJD which was practically controlling cooperatives in Bihar. Among other things,  he is locked in a fight to free BISOMAUN board of RJD’s influence.

Indiancooperative.com has reported earlier that Sunil Singh, the incumbent Chairman of Biscomaun has dared the Minister to spell Biscomaun properly. He promised to resign if the Minister does it correctly.

The Minister on his part had ensured that red bacon fitted in the car of Biscomaun Chairman is removed. Biscomaun Chairman Sunil Singh’s attempt to convert the organization into multi-state cooperative society also failed earlier.

The fight between the two political outfits to control cooperative levers of power in the state is sure to go personal in coming days. But round two goes to Ramadhar Singh.