The apex body of cooperatives in the country National Cooperative Union of India is meeting tomorrow on Tuesday at its headquarters in Delhi to deliberate on a host of issues including the extension of the current Chief Executive N Satyanarayan.
N Satyanarayan is retiring 31st January and there is an urgent need for the apex co-op body to take a call in the matter. There is a growing consensus among the Governing Council members that Satyanarayan should be continued till a replacement is found.
A low-profile CE Satyanarayan, incidentally, is the only signatory of Corpus Fund from the NCUI, the other being a representative of the Ministry. There is a lurking fear among some of the GC members that the Ministry may appoint another official as the second signatory if Satyanarayan leaves without preparations.
Some of the GC members told Indian Cooperative that the NCUI needs to have an experienced hand for a few months at least, as several crucial matters including NCCT amalgamation with the parent body are on cards. The old CE must continue till the new leadership gets a feel of the place. It would not be advisable for the apex body to have both President and CE who are new and do not know much about the organization”, said a senior GC member asking his name not to be mentioned.
Interestingly, the Selection Committee formed to appoint a regular Chief Executive in the NCUI has not been able to make much headway. The Committee is being presided over by Chandra Pal, the former President and the two former Vice-Presidents— Bijender Singh and G H Amin. Now the newly elected President of NCUI, Sanghani would replace Chandra Pal going by the terms of the formation of the Selection Committee, say NCUI sources.
The Committee has received so far four applications. While the application of one of the officials of NCDC for the post was rejected on the technical ground, the other one from that of NCCT Secretary Mohan Mishra has become a talking point in the NCUI corridors. Mishra is said to be unqualified for the job simply because he is no longer part of the NCUI. “There is a recorded letter of Mishra wherein he has declared to have quit NCUI”, said an official.
Infamous for his dubious credentials, Mishra has been lobbying hard with the Ministry officials to claim the top post of NCUI. “A great votary of NCCT autonomy from NCUI in the past, Mishra is now for the amalgamation of the former with NCUI and would like to head the restructured body”, say sources.
But the majority of GC members, Indian Cooperative talked to are opposed to Mishra’s candidature. “We cannot forget how he had conspired to break NCCT from its parent body”, said one of them on condition of anonymity.
Interestingly, Tuesday’s GC meeting would be the first after the formal anointment of Dileep Sanghani as the President. He is likely to visit the much-cherished Centre of excellence for co-operative training in Noida. Spread over 3000 square meters, the Centre aims to organize co-op training programs not only for Indians but also for overseas participants.