CHENNAI: Election process for cooperative institutions in the State will begin on June 8,

Food and Cooperation Minister E.V. Velu announced in the Assembly on Tuesday.

Replying to questions pertaining to his Ministry, the Minister said the Government had decided to waive loans issued by cooperative banks for purchase of LPG connections. It would repay the loan to the banks on behalf of the beneficiaries in three annual instalments.

In the current financial year, cooperative banks would distribute loans to two lakh women through Self-Help Groups. Preference would be given to those who wanted to purchase milch animals.

To revive five major cooperative societies in the State -- Triplicane Urban Cooperative Society (TUCS); Madurai Pandiyan District Cooperative Wholesale Stores; Chintamani Cooperative Wholesale Stores in Coimbatore and Tiruchi; and Park Town Cooperative Wholesale Stores -- the Government would constitute a high-level committee to suggest suitable measures. It would also monitor implementation of its recommendations.

Following representations from the public that there was enormous delay in getting back deposits from some cooperative banks after maturity, the Government would sanction immediate funds to the banks under the loan waiver scheme. A district-level committee would be set up to take necessary steps for repaying the deposits. To ensure correct measurement of commodities to consumers in fair price shops, modern electronic weighing machines would be installed in all shops during the current year at a cost of Rs.11.50 crore. A committee would be appointed to revise the wage structure of fair price shop employees. It would submit its proposals within a month.

Savings-linked micro credit, hitherto available to women, would be extended to men from the current financial year. About 25,000 small traders would be given loans up to a maximum of Rs. 5,000 in the current year.

Ration Cards

For quick printing and distribution of new ration cards, the government would print the cards in all districts and distribute them through Collectors. In Chennai, the Principal Commissioner and Commissioner of Civil Supplies would be in charge of the distribution. Hereafter, ration shops in the State would be closed on Sundays instead of Fridays.

To check smuggling of ration commodities, it had been decided to fix global positioning systems as a trial measure in lorries carrying the commodities. To start with, the scheme would be implemented in Krishnagiri and Tiruvallur districts.

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