NCUI President finally gave in and wrote to the Union Agriculture Secretary a letter for which the agricultural ministry had been tightening the screws on the apex cooperative organization for more than a year.

In his letter NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh Yadav has agreed to cede administrative and financial powers.

Talking to the Indian Cooperative Chief Executive of NCUI, Dr Dinesh confirmed that the letter had been sent but when asked to divulge its content he stalled saying “I have not seen what he has written. It’s a matter between him and the Ministry. So far as I am concerned I will continue to work under the guidance of the Governing Council and the President”.

However, readers could recall the words expressed by Dr Dinesh only a week ago. He had talked about the breaking of the ice between NCUI and the Ministry in an interview given to Indian Cooperative.

Last week meeting was indeed crucial, as Indian Cooperative had informed its readers. It was in this meeting when Chandra Pal decided to cede powers in order to deliver NCUI from a financial bind it found itself in for a long time.

According to sources, the plight of NCUI field project staff that had been without salary for months compelled Chandra Pal to change his mind. Chandra Pal in his meeting with the Union Minister Sharad Pawar had sought his intervention in easing pressure on the staff. Taking advantage of the compulsions of his situation, the ministry babus asked him to sign a piece of paper committing him to relinquishing his powers. When he had returned to his office at Siri Fort Road he knew he had lost it.

It is a matter of time now that funds would start flowing, informed one of the directors at NCUI. But what passes one’s comprehension is the abject genuflection of the highest cooperative body before the imperious govt babus.

On a number of occasions earlier, the issue of abandoning powers had been resisted in the meetings of the Governing Council as it held the elected heads were paramount.

But Ministry’s constant pressure coupled with the arm-twisting tactics of withholding funds compelled the President to bend. And the conditions of the field staff only added to his helplessness.

He won so far as NCUI’s immediate future is concerned but he lost in terms of the future of the cooperative movement.

This experience teaches a lesson too that if you wish to stand up to the babus you have to be economically viable. The cooperative movement that comprehends the entire world is not a product of governmental efforts but an achievement of the people at large.

The last Governing Council meeting of National Cooperative Union of India proved stormy with host of issues raked up by the members. Readers will recall that this meeting took place in the shadow of NCCT scam which has led to stand off between NCUI and Agricultural Ministry.

According to sources, NCUI has received letter from the Ministry in which Ministry has asked NCUI to curtail the power of Chairman. Members after members reacted strongly to this suggestion dubbing it as interference in the autonomy of cooperative spirit.

Some members indeed reacted otherwise and demanded that letter be placed before the Governing Council before a considered opinion could be given. Talking to Indiancooperative.com, Mudit Verma, one of the Board members said that we have helped Chandra Pal Singh Yadav win election but these things can not be done orally. “Only when the letter is placed would I be able to react properly”, said Mr Verma.

At the start of the meet, Ashok Dabas ,another member of Board, put the matter of curtailment of power of NCUI President. Members were unanimous on the emotive issue except demand of propriety of placing agenda from certain quarters.

Other issues put before the Governing Council related to renting out a part of NCUI complex to state cooperative bank. Shivaji Rao Patil, another member demanded that first the rent pending with other tenant be recovered. Mudit Verma disagreed on the issue of renting out to Cooperative bank as he demanded that DDA norm be followed first.

President Chandra Pal Singh Yadav put the matter of renting out before the Board and requested them to decide on the issue. Board, in return left it out on him to settle the matter.

Rotting food grains are finally asking questions to our high profile, “poor-friendly”Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar. On Tuesday the highest court of the land slammed him for a casual approach to the problem.

Earlier, readers may remember, on August 12 the court had said that if govt cannot safely keep the grains it should be distributed among poor people for free.

Pawar made light of Court’s observation and said that the court only made a suggestion and the government will consider it.

On Tuesday, an apex court bench of Justice Dalveer Bhandari and Justice Deepak Verma told Additional Solicitor General Mohan Parasaran: “Tell your minister not to make any such comment.”

The court said: “What we have said is an order and not a suggestion.”

The court also directed the central government to carry out a fresh survey of the people below poverty line (BPL), above poverty line (APL) and beneficiaries of the Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY).

The court passed the order in the wake of several states disputing the figures of the central government related to beneficiaries of subsidized food schemes.

The court has also asked the government to ensure construction of big godowns in all the states besides separate godowns in different districts and divisions within the states. A job cooperative giant NCCF is aiming at.