It is obvious that the co-operative scenario of the country is in for a big overhaul with Sahakar Bharati preparing to play an important role. “It is a band of selfless workers who have arrived on the scene to cleanse co-operatives”, said a proud Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh.
Meanwhile, working on the theory of synergy between govt and private partners, Singh is involving Sahakar Bharati in a number of activities and this Laxmanrao Inamdar National Academy for Co-operative Research and Development is just one among them, informed an insider.
Impressed by Sahakar Bharati’s huge network Minister sees it as the panacea for all ills in the co-operative sector including corruption and resistance by a few to quit their posts and positions. He has already placed Jyotindra Mehta Sahakar Bharat President on the Board of NCUI.
Singh also placed Satish Marathe on the board of NCDC. Marathe and his team had been working since three years
RSS Sarsanghchalak Shri Mohan Bhagwat was categorical when he said co-operative movement cannot run on the strength of govt officials. “No doubt govt has a role to play but the impact is visible only when it is led by passionate leaders”, he underlined.
Co-operative in its present form may have come from abroad or somewhere but the spirit of co-operative began fist in Indian societies, Shri Bhagwat said. Bhagwat asked Sahakar Bharati to prepare for a long haul as the present day co-operative is not congruent with its avowed vision. .
Observers feel that there are several things in the pipeline and the days are not far when the NDA govt would make a concerted effort to gain supremacy in the apex co-op body- National Cooperative Union of India. Not only that, the ruling dispensation also nurses the ambition of having its men in all the national level co-operative federations.
Efforts to include Inamdar’s idea of cooperative in the co-operative syllabus of ICMs have already begun. NCUI has also published a book on Inamdar-a development which was unimaginable without a RSS leaning govt at the Centre. Now as to how do they control the political power in national co-op federations is yet not clear, said a knowledgeable source. It is natural and all govts do it, he also added.
