Young and dynamic the new Cooperation Minister of Bihar, Rana Randhir Singh is an Engineer graduate. Son of a well-known socialist-politician Sitaram Singh, Rana threw his hat in the political ring despite being a technocrat.
He is the youngest minister in Nitish’s Cabinet and exudes energy and passion–passion to rewrite the fate of Bihar. Farming in Bihar is still dependent on age-old practices with little exposure to the fast-changing world. The farm-sector is so unrewarding that the state has seen huge migrations in the past.
Rana is aware of this and is also aware of the mammoth task that lies ahead for him. But most of all, what is remarkable in him is an eagerness to learn and help. He sounded unbiased and he is not hauling around any baggage.
Excerpts:
Indian Cooperative: You have taken over as the new Cooperation Minister of a populous state like Bihar. Have you had any past experience in cooperatives?
Rana Randhir Singh: Oh yes; my father was a social worker wedded to the socialist ideology and it was a common experience for me from my childhood. I always found him working for the downtrodden. . It had a terrific impact on my impressionable mind.
Indian Cooperative: You come from Motihari and people say you are related to Union Minister Radhamohan Singh by blood. Is it true?
Rana Randhir Singh: Not exactly but yes we come from the same area and share common culture. He is our leader and I look forward to working with him in close association.
Indian Cooperative: Would your assuming power lead to the inevitable, I mean disrupting the existing cooperative leadership in the state?
Rana Randhir Singh: No, not at all. I seek everybody’s cooperation and my sole aim is to improve the lot of farmers of the state. They are victims of years of neglect and we must act now to help them.
Indian Cooperative: In the last BJP rule, your predecessor Ramadhar Singh picked up nasty fights with state cooperative leaders including Biscomaun Chairman Sunil Singh; would you continue the same trend?
Rana Randhir Singh: See, the world has changed; Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister of the country and his sole mantra is development and growth. I am not the one to open old wounds; I begin from a clean slate. Positive mindset can do wonders and look forward to cooperation from all quarters including Biscomaun.
Indian Cooperative: In an interview given to us Biscomaun Chairman says your induction as cooperation minister augurs well for the cooperative movement in the sense that both state and central ministers belong to the same area. How would you react?
Rana Randhir Singh: It is true. Do not forget that it is after 27 years that the state and the central govt coincide politically in Bihar and there cannot be a chance better than this for the growth and development of the state. I wish to invite every cooperator through you (Indian Cooperative) to come and be a part of this growth story.