Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has announced that the cooperative societies and institutions doing excellent work in the state would be formally appreciated.

An official function would be organised at the state level where they would be congratulated for their success and good work. Addressing a meeting on the occasion of the international day of cooperatives, Mr. Gehlot not only skypraised the cooperative movement but also expressed his govt.’s decision to allot free land to the cooperative dairy units.

Sources say the moves such as expressing pleasure at the performance of the most energetic and successful cooperative organisations and announcing grant of free land to some of them are primarily aimed at encouraging the cooperative sector in the state.

Sources add the govt of Rajasthan contemplates taking a number of steps to boost the cooperative sector as the cooperatives have organised an effective distribution of loans to farmers in the state. The govt has taken a special note of this good work put in by the cooperatives.

UP Cooperative Minister Shivpal Yadav recently lamented the decline of honesty and sincerity in the cooperative sector in the State.

He told Vidhan Sabha that the cooperative sector was completely overcome with corruption and nepotism and things have come to a pretty pass. According to the Minister, 25 district cooperative banks are already tottering on the brink of collapse. He promised the new govt. would do all in its power to repair the situation.

It bears repetition that the RBI has refused to renew the license of these banks as they have miserably failed to meet the prescribed norms laid down by the apex bank.

The minister Yadav has informed that his govt. would soon establish contact with the central govt. and the RBI to solve the crisis. He savaged the previous govt. for botching things in the cooperative sector.

However, the BSP rejected the charge and accused the ruling party of misusing the cooperative institutions for its narrow gains and self-aggrandizement.

Cooperative Minister Shivpal Yadav presenting demand for grants for the cooperative dept. assured the house that the govt. would not allow the district cooperative banks to collapse as it would inflict incalculable sufferings on farmers. He underscored the importance of democratization of the cooperative sector otherwise this important sector of the economy would stand reduced to pieces.