National Federation of state cooperative banks (NAFSCOB) organized a two day National Conference on “Recent Trends in Short Term Cooperative Credit Structure: Towards Strengthening” in Collaboration with National Banks for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and the apex body of Cooperatives National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) at New Delhi in the NCUI Auditorium on Sunday.
The conference was inaugurated by Union Minister of state for agriculture Mohanbhai Kalyanjibhai Kundariya and the second day it is likely to be inaugurated by Union Minister for Agriculture Radha Mohan Singh.
Kundariya said GOI has allocated a fund of Rs 9 lakh crore in Union Budget for the welfare of farmers of India and we have to connect farmers to E-Mandi or E-Marketing. The role of cooperative is extremely important in two govt schemes- phasal bima and e-mandi. You have the farmers with you, please educate them so that they take benefits from the Prime Minister’s unique initiatives, Kundariya pleaded.
In his inaugural Speech Kundariya said only 30% people are connected with the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bhima Yozana and we have to think how others could be connected to the scheme. He said more than 25 crore peoples are associated with the cooperative movement that is to say one member of every family is linked with cooperatives in one way or the other.
He urged upon cooperators and delegates coming from various states to be part of three day Agriculture Fair which is going on at PUSA, New Delhi. He praised NAFSCOB Chairman Dileep Sanghani and NCUI Chairman Chandra Pal Singh Yadav for doing a wonderful job in the cooperative sector.
NAFSCOB, Chairman Dileep Sanghani said cooperatives have played an important role in socio-economic
Explaining the objective of the conference , NAFSCOB, MD Bhima Subhramanyam said the conference would provide information on the recent trends in Short Term Cooperative Credit Structure (STCCS), review the relevant policies, analyse the likely impact of such policies and finally work out strategies to strengthen the Indian Rural Cooperative Credit Delivery System in general and STCCS in particular.
NCUI President Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav said 65% people of India are directly connected with the farming activities and the country’s economy depends on Agriculture. He expressed his disappointment on the fact that land is reducing in inverse proportion to that of growth in population.
Rajya Sabha, MP, said the fund released through the Vadiyanathan Committee revived many cooperatives. He said Government of India is not doing anything but making only announcements. He urged NABARD to issue License which has been pending since long.
Several leaders like Biscomaun Chairman, Sunil Kumar Singh, ICA-AP, Regional Director Balu Iyer, Chhattisgarh State Cooperative Bank, Chairman Ashok Bajaj, NCUI and NAFSCOB top officials and others were present on the occasion.
But there were meager presence of actual actors- DCCB cooperators and cooperators connected to credit cooperatives in the show. Of the total expected number of 220 delegates only 100 cooperators could make it, told the man entrusted with filing forms. And majority of them are those who are likely to get awards, he added.
Given a membership of 3 crore such poor turn-out speaks volumes about NAFSCOB inability to connect with grassroots, quipped a cooperator on condition of anonymity.
National Cooperative Union of India, CE Dr Dinesh proposed a vote of thanks.
