Iffco presents a case of successful cooperative in India. Having established India’s prestige on the International plateform Iffco story is inspiring for beleaguered cooperatives back home in India. In a free wheeling interview given to Indian Cooperative.com Iffco Managing Director Mr U S Awasthi tells what ails Indian cooperative movement and also what mantra has made Iffco click. An excerpts
Q What ails Indian Cooperative movement?
A India’s first Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru saw Cooperative movement as a vehicle of helping out the vulnerable section of the society. He wanted this movement to happen in every nook and corner of the country. The concept of cooperative movement was infact extension of the spirit of Purne Swarajya.
Q But to reach out to villages, we have Panchayti raj?
A Cooperative movement is a step ahead in the sense that Panchayat may not be in every village but you need just 11 persons to start a cooperative society and build a movement.The movement has capacity to penetrate to remotest village only if the concept firms up. Cooperative movement is akin to NGOs popular in west during those times
Q What has stopped penetration of cooperative movement to the remotest area?
A cooperative society will have to understand that the office bearers are running it as trust of members and professionalism will have to be nurtured. Also we must make profit. No commercial entity can survive it it does not make profit.
Q What makes the difference the man or the idea?
A Individual does play a vital role but he has to take everybody along.He needs to have ovell all support of the board.Consensus has to be crated. This consensus come from the understanding of goal of cooperative by all the players.
Q How is this consensus achieved?
A Elections should be on time and it must be conducted in a free and fair manner, policy implementation should be absolutely transparent. I do not know about others but here at Iffco even the MD has only only Rs 2 crore limit. Transparency is paramount and all matters go to committees.
Q What is Iffco’s style of functioning? Tell us in detail
A See the objective must be well defined and every body should be in loop of frequent communication.Board meeting should take place frequently. This all has created such an atmosphere of bonhomie that at Iffco the board members support the professionals.
Then, there need to be manuals for carrying out the job. We have HR manual,audit manual,finance manual and everything should strictly be done according to the guidelines mentioned in the manuals.There should be no favouratism.
Q Any massage for beleaguered cooperatives?
A I appeal to all that lets us forget the past and let us build anew from today.Respect the law and be absolutely transparent, success would be yours.
Q As an icon of Indian cooperative movement, should you not take initiative?
A I am an executive not a cooperative leader but I will not shy away from giving my opinion if I am called.I am ready to lend all support to build it as a credible movement.