It is not for nothing that H K Patil is a formidable name in the urban cooperative banking sector. He speaks his mind and speaks without mincing words. On the occasion of the 42nd AGM of the apex body of UCBs NAFCUB in Delhi, it were the Co-op Registrars of Centre and states who were at the receiving end of his anger on the issue of maltreating cooperators in seeking NoC for setting up cooperatives.
Responding to members complaints in getting NoC from state co-op registrars and from the Central Registrar, Patil advocated for an online clearance. When Aadhar or Pan Card could be sought online why should we cooperators stand before a deputy secretary or a dealing clerk in the department, said Patil showing cooperative pride on his face.
“It hurts our dignity to beg before them”, was the purport of his speech which was music to ears of those present in the assembly. Several cooperators had narrated their tale of woes when they visited the office of the Central Registrar or state registrars in the AGM. He having been a Minister in Karnataka in the past, Patil is well-aware of bureaucrats’ arrogance at play while dealing with a helpless small-time cooperator.
Patil also touched upon other issues such as Standing Advisory Committee of RBI and said it is a useful platform where cooperators as its members are able to voice their concern. But it is formed only when a co-op friendly dispensation is there; while there is a need of having this body always active for the growth of the co-op sector, he underlined.
Standing Advisory Committee of RBI is usually headed by a Deputy Governor of RBI but with the arrival of Marathe on the scene he should preside over such meetings so that its recommendations are carried out in a worthwhile manner, Patil opined. “Marathe could be our guide, mentor and philosopher in the RBI”, said Patil praising Marathe
Patil also said as far as scams in urban cooperative banks are concerned, RBI is also guilty of complacency. If our culpability is 45 per cent, RBI’s is 55 per cent, Patil stressed.
Referring to an umbrella organization for UCBs Patil hoped it is done sooner than later remembering the fate of COBI license in the past. Everyday it looked COBI licence is on the way and finally it was never done, he recalled.
On income tax Patil hoped that the govt listens to cooperators’ demand on exemption. Referring to Jyotindra Mehta’s confidence of securing IT exemption with the help of a sympathetic Minister Piyush Goyal, Patil said ”I do not believe the govt in these matters easily but for once I would love to be proved wrong’, he said with a grin.
Suggesting a way out, Patil asked the govt to allow the income tax money to be used in CSR activities and social goods by the co-operative. “At least allow them to build roads and infrastructure with that money’, Patil advocated.
Patil also explained the lack of interest among youth in getting involved in the cooperative movement and felt cooperative’s inability in offering them rapid career prospects is a major roadblock. If a youngster joins politics, he becomes an MLA or MP sooner than what he may achieve in cooperatives by putting the same number of years. Earlier, there used to be 50% elected persons from cooperatives but today it has come down to 20% or even less, he lamented.
It was very easy for those people to enter Parliament or assembly who do social work by building a cooperative bank or a cooperative sugar mill or other co-op institutions. “Youths of today need to be told this; we need to build a national level cooperative brand; Gujarat has experimented with this at the regional level and coined a slogan like “proudly cooperative”, Patil expounded.