Indian Cooperative Impact: NCP Panel has a woman in its team at last!

The Union Ministry of Cooperation has inducted two more members, one woman among them, in the National Level Committee for drafting the new National Cooperative Policy Document. Indian Cooperative was one of the first to point out the ministry’s oversight.

It is being learnt that the news item titled “Prabhu to head Co-op Policy drafting team; No woman in Committee” caught the attention of Union Minister Amit Shah who asked his officials to rectify the anomaly. The Ministry officials finally inducted Dr Geeta Patel, a woman co-operator from Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Thus, the two new members of the drafting committee formed for giving shape to the National Cooperative Policy are Nabard Chairman Suchindra Misra and Udaipur Dugdh Utpadan Sahakari Sangh, Rajasthan, Chairperson Dr Geeta Patel.

The office order in this regard was released on Tuesday and signed by Suneel Sachdeva, Deputy Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation.

Misra is a 1992 batch Indian Defense Accounts Service Officer and he is holding the post of Additional Secretary, Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, Government of India.

Dr Geeta Patel hails from Udaipur and has been the Chairperson of Udaipur Dugdh Utpadan Sahakari Sangh for more than 16 years.

Having done a doctorate in Chemistry, Dr Patel joined Sahakar Bharati and rose to become the National President of Akhil Bhartiya Dairy Prakoshth (Cell), Sahakar Bharati. She was also an active member of NCCT.

The office order reads, “Reference to invitation to the Ministry of Cooperation order dated 2nd September 2022 on the subject cited above. Following two members are added to the list of members of the National Level Committee for drafting the new National Cooperation Policy Document”.

“Chairman, Nabard and Geeta Patel, Chairperson, Udaipur Dugdh Utpadan Sahakari Sangh. The issues with the approval of competent authority”, it reads.

Readers would recall that the first meeting of the newly constituted National Level Committee for drafting the new National Cooperative Policy did take place in Pune. It proved to be brainstorming as co-operators after co-operators felt that co-op should be treated as a business enterprise.

The meeting was attended by 40 members out of 47. It was presided over by former union minister Suresh Prabhu.