Yeh sahkarita me loktantra ki hatya hai (murder of democracy in cooperatives) –are the words Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, NCUI President used to describe the provision of sacking an elected board in the proposed amendments in multi state cooperative act.
When Indian cooperative.com pointed him out the government inability in cases such as NAFED where govt money is put to great risk, Mr Yadav said that there are other ways of tackling the situation. Government can put a team of 5-6 experts in the board who through their expert advice can pull a multi state cooperative out of penury and loss.
Readers may be aware that in the proposed draft the central registrar may declare a multi state cooperative society as sick. He may dissolve the board and constitute an interim board for a maximum period of 5 years.
Referring to other provisions such as chief executive’s right to call a meeting if one third board members wish so, Mr Chandra Pal said that even this is not fair. A Chairman is elected head and the leader but if due to unavoidable circumstances he is not able to call a meeting, meeting may be called but only after more than 50 percent (not one third) of board members desire so, he added.
Talking of provision wherein Central Govt may order for a special audit of multi state society where the central govt or state govt holds any share capital, NCUI President said that such interference by the Centre in not conducive for the functioning of Cooperatives. Governmental interference should be restricted to only those societies where government share is more than 50 percent, felt Mr Singh.
He applauded the provision wherein the Central government will appoint a Cooperative Election Authority which will conduct the election, prepare voters list and appoint returning officer. Free and fair election is essential for the function of democratic rule and we welcome this provision, said Mr Chandra Pal. Indiancooperative.com has also in many reports, stressed on the need of an agency which must not be part of outgoing board to oversee the election process.
But Mr Chandra Pal Singh is highly critical of the provision wherein a multi state cooperative society can return government share only at book value and not at face value.
Mr Chandra Pal said that it amounts to charging high money from the primary members. Such high prices will demotivate people from joining the cooperative movement and it is death knell for Nehru’s vision.
Frontline leaders of cooperative movement led by NCUI President have met many senior political leaders cutting across party line to stall the bill. They have met Mulayam Singh Yadav, Sushma Swaraj and others to get the bill referred to Standing Committee. Their effort to meet Union agriculture Minister Mr Shard Pawar has not met with success yet. It is being said that the Minister is unhappy with them on the issue of NAFED imbroglio.