On the eve of 90th birth day of Dr Vergese Kurian, doyen of dairy cooperative movement, IndianCooperative.com received many comments asking it to pitch for Sahkar Ratna on the lines of Bharat Ratna for extraordinary cooperators.
Persons with extra-ordinary cooperative credentials, they argue, should be conferred with Sahakar Ratna by Government of India on the lines of Bharat Ratna. Kurien is their obvious choice as his credentials are beyond all disputes.
As one of the readers PA Joseph writes “ Would the Govt explain why Dr Kurien has still not been conferred with the Bharat Ratna? What does it take to be qualified for the recognition? If you believe Dr Kurien deserves Bharat Ratna, may please sign the online petition ‘Confer Bharat Ratna to Dr V Kurien’ at http://www.change.org
Another reader said that Dr V Kurien helped to establish the world’s largest dairy cooperative movement on the Amul-model which today has a collective membership of 14 million.
If a person like Kurien does not deserve Bharat Ratna who else does? The question indeed looms large.
Another reader Mr S P Korpal from Chandigarh writes “ Government should come forward to honour visionaries and cooperative leaders like Dr Kurien of Amul fame , Dr US Awasthi of fertiliser Cooperatives IFFCO & alike with awards like “Sahkar Ratnas” for being role models in their respective fields , especially on the eve of the International year of Cooperatives 2012 which began at UN this year.
Cooperative movement of India is fairly strong. It is perhaps only country in which separate cooperative ministries in majority of federal states are working. We have a union minister also in Sharad Pawar who along with agriculture takes care of cooperatives.
Government of India can take a cue from Maharashtra government who took step in this direction by announcing regional level sahkarita awards. ”To increase the credibility of the cooperative sector in the state, Maharashtra Government is planning to felicitate the cooperative institutions and individuals in the sector for distinguished work.
“We are preparing a proposal to felicitate and reward an industry, a bank or a person in the cooperative sector from this year,” state Cooperative Minister, Harshavardhan Patil, said. Awards such as `Sahakar Ratna’ or `Sahakar Maharshi’ will be conferred.“Twenty-one awards have been proposed, four at the state level and others at the divisional level,” he said.
Patil pointed out that the cooperative sector was getting bad publicity and image because of instances of irregularities.
Felicitating those individuals/institutions who have made a contribution to the sector would send a positive message, he said.
Voices of getting due recognition for the true cooperative leaders are getting louder but government would not heed till people join in chorus.
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