Despite catering to the needs of nearly one billion people worldwide, cooperatives have failed to elicit matching response from the governments, said Dr Dinesh, Chief Executive of National Cooperative Union of India.

Dr Dinesh was, however, unsatisfied with the over-all performance of the cooperatives in India. Our International year of Cooperative pledge reads;“Cooperative enterprises build better world”. But how could we keep this pledge without professionalizing the cooperative team?

The relation of cooperative members to the cooperatives operating in Indian villages is restricted to getting a sack or two of fertilizers, seeds or other such requirements. He is not involved in its operations. There is no professional way of doing business, he lamented.

Unless the PACS become a whole game that survive on their own and conduct business through professional expertise, the slogan “cooperative builds better world” would sound hollow, he said in a frank chat with Indian Cooperative.

Mentioning America as an example, Dr Dinesh said 97 percent of the US’s energy needs are met through cooperatives. In Singapore majority of fair price shops are run through cooperatives, he added.

He felt that the government of India is ignoring the role of cooperatives for economic growth of the country. The absence of word “cooperative” in the five year plans for two consecutive terms comes as a shock to him.

If nuclear power could be generated by government and salt by TATAs why not allow cooperatives in the agricultural field where it is already doing 50 percent of the business, Dr Dinesh asked.

The finale of the international cooperatives conference was witnessed in the NCUI auditorium in the capital on Thursday. CEO of NCUI Dr. Dinesh’s opening remarks set a tone for the discussions that followed during the conference.

There was a galaxy of speakers drawn from the cooperative world on the dais and a huge appreciative audience willing to listen to them. Indeed there was a perfect milieu for discussions.

Dr. Bijendra Singh Chairman NAFED chaired the first session that began with Jaya Arunachalam president Indian Cooperative Network for Women, Chennai presenting a highly nuanced discussion on the issue of women empowerment. Dwelling on the subject at length, among other things she appealed to the cooperatives to devise the ways and means of enabling Indian women to assert themselves and their point of view in the country’s current scheme of things.

Mrs Jainuddin from Malaysia discussed the role of the cooperative organisations in encouraging and promoting gender eqality. She said the govt in Malasia have brought in such policies as have given preference to women in the field of health and child health, thus implementing the basic principles of cooperative.

Mr. Prakash Lonare presided over the second session where H.K. Patil president NAFCUB lamented the horrible conditions of the cooperative banks. He pointed out the importance of the cooperatives in the context of the paradigm shift sweeping the country’s economy.

J N Srivastava former secretary govt of india emphasised the critical role of the human resources factor in the context of the development of the cooperative institutions. He strongly advocated a rapid and optimal technologisation of the cooperative sector.

R.K. Tiwari joint secretary and Central Registrar of cooperatives dwelt on the importance of appropriate policies in strengthening the Indian cooperative sector during this session. Describing the conference as a milestone, he underlined the crucial role of the cooperative sector in the country’s economic transformation.

Suresh Prabhu former Union Minister praised the UNO for observing the current year as the international year of cooperatives. He called for the application of the cooperative principles in empowering the masses. He said with the help of the cooperatives poverty could be greatly reduced and the poor would not get poorer and the rich would not get richer.

Roby Tulus former Regional Director ICA Asia-pacific shed light on the necessity and role of the cooperatives in the presentday world. According to him, the role of the cooperatives in the changing global economy needs to be adequately valued.

The two day conference had deliberations & brain storming sessions on challenges for cooperatives, corporate governance in cooperatives, new initiatives required by cooperatives to strengthen the socio-economic structure of nations, community development & women empowerment. International issues such as food security, education & development of cooperatives in Asia-Pecific region. The conference was attended by delegates from China, Japan, Korea, Srilanka & Mauritius. Top representatives from national level cooperatives like NAFED, KRIBHCO, NCUI, NCDC and NABARD shared their views during the conference. The conference was in line with global celebrations for International Year of Cooperatives 2012 announced by UN.

Dr. U. S Awasthi, Managing Director, IFFCO expressed his happiness and applauded the role of cooperatives in community & nation building. He assured that IFFCO is committed to the farmers of India and it will keep on surpassing its previous records to emerge as the global leader in both the production as well as marketing of fertilizers. He also said that IFFCO will keep on serving the farmers at their best and will try to bring new innovations for serving the rural & farming community in India.

The conference was concluded by closing remarks from Sh. Charan Das Mahant, Minister of State for Agricluture & food processing.

50 years ago the famous drawing of a girl bending herself with her one eye fixed on the pack of Amul butter began catching India’s imagination. The image became an inevitable part of the daily Indian life.

The butter girl seen everywhere in the country has come to symbolize India’s dairy abundance.

The image has had a funny and glittering career especially inspiring tiny tots and not so grown up children into biting their favourite Amul butter.

This little cute painting girl surfaced to rival Polson’s butter girl.

A coffee book is being launched as a part of this girl’s 50th birthday celebration.

The Governing Council of National Cooperative Union of India is meeting today on Thursday. The issues that are likely to be taken up by the NCUI relate to auditing and amendments in the bye-laws.

NCUI had earlier circulated a letter in which Governing Council members were asked to give suggestions regarding the change in by-laws.

They were asked to come up with such suggestions which could end inevitable constant bickering post-election.
Readers could recall that NCUI’s President is facing court cases in which his elections have been challenged. The government appointed
Arbitrator earlier set aside his election leading NCUI to a deep crisis.

Another Governing Council member, the strong man of Uttar Pradesh and a close associate of the Apex Cooperative body’s President Chandra Pal Singh, Mr Mudit Verma is also facing similar court cases which challenge his elections.

Most of the confusions arise out of lack of clear-cut constituencies in the NCUI’s electoral roll. Mudit Verma is said to represent a cooperative sector in NCUI to which he does not originally belong.

The challenge to President’s election, however rest on a different argument. According to by-laws of NCUI a nominated member could not qualify for the top post. Chandra Pal as in case of many others is a nominated member from the Kribhco. V P Singh, his advocate however informed Indian Cooperative that the case against Chandra Pal is weak and eminently winnable.

Hearing on the petition of President in which he has challenged Arbitrator’s ruling is scheduled for tomorrow i,e on Friday.
Meeting in this background NCUI’s GC has to deliberate on the changes in by-laws which could make the election results inviolable once they have been declared.

But Governing Council could ignore the Ministerial dictate on the proposal of reduction of its power only at its own peril. The budgetary-crisis should be addressed at once.

Cooperative sector in Jammu and Kashmir is on the upswing, humming with activity.

Jammu and Kashmir Cooperative Minister Manohar Lal Sharma recently said in the state assembly that there are clear signs of democratization of the cooperative sector in the state as most of the cooperative organisations have shown their commitment to democracy by holding free and fair elections.

According to the Minister, the new trend will encourage the cooperative sector’s growth and efficiency.

A recent landmark event has been the beginning of the female cooperative societies in the state. Thousands of women have joined the cooperatives.

There are   scores of branches of the female cooperatives and their transactions are significant. This no doubt stands out as a great achievement.

All kinds of projects and activities have begun in the cooperative sector, super bazars and poultry farming, for example are flagship projects.

Observers with knowledge of the J &and K scene are predicting a solid growth and expansion of the cooperative institutions in the frontier state.

In a development that may have wide ranging ramifications Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, President of National Cooperative Union of India lost the case of his election in the court of the government appointed Arbitrator. The arbitrator has set aside his election  as President of NCUI.

The matter was pending in the court of arbitrator Manjhi for quite some time and a decision was expected on 15 March. Dealing  a body blow to  beleaguered Chandra Pal after his  defeat in   the Jhansi elction , the setting aside of   his election   has pushed  the  apex cooperative organization into a leaderless situation.

Talking to Indiancooperative.com the petitioner Rajendra Sharma said  “ I have been intimated by the Arbitrator office  that Chandra Pal Singh’s election has been set aside.” Mr Sharma is a journalist and stays in Himachal Pradesh.

When Indiancooperative.com contacted Shri Chandra Pal Singh he feigned ignorance of  the development. “I have not been intimated and I have no idea. I would react once the matter comes to my notice from an authentic source”, he said.

Indiancooperative.com has, meanwhile gathered that confabulations have  already begun  in the high echelons  of power in NCUI and a way out of  the crisis situation is being frenetically worked out.

According to sources Chandra Pal is entertaining the idea of appealing the decision in the high court. “Arbitrator is not the final court and we would approach high court against this decision”, said one of his confidants on condition of anonymity.

According to experts of the multi- state cooperative act 2002, Agricultural Ministry may demand President’s resignation in the light of the judgement and may appoint an administrator till re-election of  the new president takes place.

The petitioner had challenged the election on the basis of Chandra Pal Singh being a nominated member from a contributor society. Only they who are elected and not nominated members could contest for Presidentship of NCUI,says the MSCS-2002  act.

Sources close to the President of NCUI confide that Chandrapal has, however strong case in the high court. “The applicant was not an affected party and his petition has no locus standi”, they argue. We were not given chance to reply to some last-minute evidences submitted by the applicant, they argued further.

Air-dashing from Lucknow where he had gone for participating in the oath-taking ceremony of Akhilesh Yadav, Chandra Pal is confabulating with friends and advocates to wriggle out of this crisis.

The Reserve Bank has officially informed the urban cooperative banks that they should adopt new international accounting norms IFRS latest by 2014.

The RBI has said that all banks and NBFCS have to improve their skills and use knowledge and technological possibilities to move to the new financial norms so that they could measure up to the challenges of international standards.

Even small size urban cooperative banks and financial companies are supposed to adopt international financial norms.

The Corporate Affairs Ministry has also unequivocally indicated that all commercial scheduled banks will have to adopt the International Financial Reporting Standards at the earliest opportunity.

Dr Daman Prakash

Several major events have been planned by the Cooperative Unions and governments across the globe to welcome the arrival of International Year of Cooperatives-2012.

The Angkasa of Malaysia is holding a major seminar in March 2012 to launch the celebrations. For this, over 150 participants and noted speakers have been invited from various parts of the world.

Indonesia is planning to reorganise and re-energise the ASEAN Cooperative Organisation (ACO) by holding ASEAN Cooperative Ministers’ Conference and several training programmes, including laying emphasis on business development of primary level multipurpose agricultural cooperatives. Special focus is laid on propagation of products of cooperatives from different parts of the country.

Sri Lanka’s Cooperative Council (NCC/SL) and the Cooperative Department and the National Institute of Cooperative Development (NICD) are planning to hold conferences on subjects like Agricultural Credit, HRD and on Cooperative Policies.

Nepal Cooperative Federation, National Cooperative Development Board and the government are planning to hold an international conference on strengthening of cooperatives and holding a special conference with former ICA seminar participants.

The IFFCO Foundation has already taken the lead by launching its prestigious publication entitled ‘Convulsing India with Cooperation’ which was formally released by Mrs Meira Kumar, Hon’ble Speaker of the Lok Sabha on November 21 2011 at a function organized by the IFFCO.

The government and the NCUI may consider holding an international conference on ‘Strategies of Cooperative Development in different SAARC Countries’ with a view to identify the areas of technical cooperation and trade among cooperatives in the region and might even offer some scholarships to SAARC Cooperative Movements.

The NCUI may like to launch an intensive programme of member education and also the NCCT’s training institutions to highlight the implications of the Constitutional Amendment.

NCUI, in collaboration with other cooperative organisations may conduct an intensive survey on at least 200-300 cooperatives on the pattern of ICA’s 300-Global Cooperatives in order to highlight the achievements of Indian Cooperative Institutions.

A similar effort is also being made by the Indonesian and Malaysian cooperatives, to conduct a similar survey on at least 200 cooperatives in ASEAN countries.

The IYC-2012 presents an excellent opportunity to Cooperative Movements all over the world that cooperative enterprises are also strong and good institutions to generate employment and to counter the ill-effects of open market economy.

(Dr Daman Prakash is a consultant with IFFCO Foundation)

While India has produced nearly 120 million tonnes of milk  in 2011, it would need more than 200  milion tonnes of milk  in the next 10 years.

The country would  have to  produce not less than 150 million tonnes of milk by the  end of the 12th five year plan , said Mr Bhasin of Indian  dairy association  while addressing the  media in the capital.

IDA is organising the annual conference  in Delhi from February  2-5  to  discuss  its strategy for quickening the pace of dairy development in the country.

Nearly 2000 delegates  including  participants  from Europe and  America  will  take part in the annual meet.

The theme of the conference  is- Indian Dairying: Perspective 2020,Mr Bhasin added.

At least for once the cooperative body celebrations would be based on the strength of common man and not on the strength of hired crowd. International year of Cooperative 2012 is being taken by NCUI and others quite seriously and marches, races and other visible activities involving common people are being planned.

Indiancooperative.com is happy to note that the movement is coming out of conferences and seminars which are notoriously attended by hired crowd and constant set of people.

Cooperative movement has to involve common man and IYC 2012 is unique chance to popularize the movement.

All possible preparations are already underway for the celebration of the international year of the cooperatives,  we are putting in our best efforts in conjunction with various cooperative organisations  to make it  a grand success, said Dr Dinesh,Chief Executive of NCUI in an interview with the indiancoop.com correspondent here today in the capital.

NCUI recently organised a meeting of cooperative organisations  to discuss   preparations in progress  for the celebration of the IYC 2012. All the leading cooperative organisations including IFFCO, KRIBHCO NCDC, NAFCUB, FISHCOFED, Sugar Federation etc attended the meeting, Dr Dinesh added.

According to Dr Dinesh, most of the cooperative organisations have promised to organise special activities during the IYC and give the IYC a particular mention in their advertisements. NCDC for example, suggested a march from India gate to Rastrapati Bhawan be undertaken  to  popularize the IYC among the common people.

The cooperative organisations are extremely enthusiastic about the IYC and using the IYC logo in all their projects and activities. Some organisations are still working on various ideas and plans for the IYC and will soon send them to NCUI for consideration. Some cooperative organisations are planning to hold competitions and contests.

There are also plans to organise workshops and seminars on various issues during the year. One such workshop will be held on the ecological issues, Dr Dinesh added.

Dr Dinesh informed that special efforts would be made to organise publicity for the IYC 2012 and print media, electronic media and air and Doordarshan will be  used  for the purpose. Several ministries of the govt of India including the ministry of finance and the ministry of agriculture will lend their support to the publicity campaign.