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.

An important meeting between the President of National Cooperative Union of India Chandra Pal Singh Yadav and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar took place in the afternoon of Wednesday. While Pawar was assisted by the new Agriculture Secretary Bahuguna (who has replaced P K Basu) and Joint Secretary, Chandra Pal had Chief Executive Dr Dinesh on his side.

Talking to Indian Cooperative about the meeting Dr Dinesh said that it was a “meeting with a difference” in which free exchange of ideas took place. “While we presented our case and requested for continued support from the government I was happy to note that the Minister is no less seized of the matter”, said Dr Dinesh.

On the query if the fund for field projects would be made available now Dr Dinesh said that regular interaction is important and today the ice has been broken. We can expect some concrete development in a matter of week.

Readers could recall that government has stopped aid to the NCUI for training and education programmes leading to fund-crunch at the apex cooperative organization. Several people working in various field projects across states of the country at a meager salary have not got their salaries for past many months.

According to Dr Dinesh NCUI President Chandra Pal Singh made a very strong presentation on the conditions of field officers before the Minister. He detailed the woes being felt by the field officers and their families.

Ministry has asked us to reform our working and we informed the Minister about the various steps such as new recruitment and promotions policies that have been set in motion in NCUI, Chief Executive informed Indian Cooperative.

When Indian Cooperative asked if the Minister insisted on cutting down the power of Governing Council of NCUI as a pre-condition for releasing fund, Dr Dinesh cleverly skirted the subject.

Readers could recall that government had insisted on divesting executive power from the President and GC. It had suggested that Governing Council should bother itself only with policy matter and growth of cooperative movement in the country. The NCUI’s Board had rejected it leading to stand-off between the two.

Wednesday meeting between NCUI and Ministry took place after a long time and has thrown up a beacon of hope for the survival of apex Cooperative.

Our office is flooded with phone calls from persons working in the field projects of National Cooperative Union of India. They have not received salaries for last the 3-4 months and their future hangs in the balance.

Caught in the cross-fire of Agricultural Ministry’s babus and obstinate cooperative leaders these poor fellows do not know where to go, what to do. Indian Cooperative is also in no position to help them.

Ministry insists that without making suitable changes in the bye-laws (which would restrict the financial and executive powers of Governing Council and the President) NCUI could not qualify for further budgetary support. The Governing Council has resisted all attempts to arm-twist them so far.

A section in Ministry is of the opinion that the cooperative leaders should focus on policy matters and devise plans to strengthen the cooperative movement instead of getting involved in the daily nitty-gritty of the apex cooperative body. They accuse cooperative leaders of being too much involved with transfer, posting, recruitment and other basic affairs of the NCUI.

Some states are opposing the constitutional amendment fearing they would have to conduct elections in cooperative bodies of the state in which their “men’ have been at the helm, for example for 40 years in the case of Tamil Nadu.

NCUI’s top leaders should tour such opposing states and explain to the people and government the benefits of this amendment, they argue. Ministry also is of the opinion that if the Registrars of the cooperatives in states are made the head of field projects, their involvement would ensure its success. NCUI’s Governing Council members have been nominated as the heads of field projects till now.

NCUI has put a presentation before Ministry demanding Rs 500 crores for the next five-years. Ministry is insisting on changing the by-laws by 31st May. The Governing Council of NCUI is meeting on 24th May. Unless the cooperative leaders find a way out the future of field projects as well as that of NCUI would keep hanging in the balance.

NCUI had pitched for greater attention on cooperative movement in the next twelfth five year plan. It is said that the plan proposal is mostly silent on the theme of cooperatives.

Talking to Indiancooperative.com Dr Dinesh, Chief Executive of NCUI said that we met Secretary in the Agricultural Ministry and apprised him of our concerns. Secretary Mr Basu lent us an eager ear and a meeting with Joint Secretary took place in which we unveiled our point of view, said Dr Dinesh.

There are two major limitations with us presently. NCUI’s training does not take place in many states of the country. And in those where training centers exist, we have only one centre for huge population and is simply not enough to realize our goal, he said.

Placing a map of India before him on a table and backed by a host of staff of NCUI Chief Executive could be seen identifying states where NCUI has no presence.

Dr Dinesh has also demanded more projects numbering 14.It already has 44 field projects which are in bad shape with payment constraints and contractual nature of job for the staff.It has led to demotivation. Dr Dinesh is aware of it and is trying to rectify the situation.

He has also demanded full salary for them breaking the past tradition of consolidated payment made to those who were involved in the projects earlier. He has also pitched for regularization of those staff who are working in already existing projects which are covering  many states of the country.

Project-related staff has already represented their case as they are suffering on account of meager monthly payment. Even that was stopped once lecturer scam case gathered heat leading to tightening of purse by the Ministry.