Kerala - Kochi   

Expand horizons, cooperatives told

KOCHI: The cooperative sector has to find an answer to nationalised banks, which neglect the primary sector, and the new generation banks, which operate like money-lenders and cater to speculators, Minister for Forest Benoy Viswom has said.

The Minister was inaugurating a conference of cooperative sector leaders organised here on Saturday as part of the ongoing State Cooperative Congress. Mr. Viswom said that the move to make cooperatives pay income tax would plunge the sector in the State into crisis.

On the Vaidyanathan Committee Report, which made suggestions for revival of cooperative credit structure, Mr. Viswom said that it was not possible to have one single set of laws for the whole country. The strengths and uniqueness of each area should be considered. But he added that it was not necessary to reject the reporting in its entirety.

Hundred-odd UDF members from various cooperatives walked out shouting slogans against the Minister, in protest against his alleged role in the Merchiston land deal. Reacting to this, the Minister said that if there was any malpractice in the deal, the erstwhile United Democratic Front government was to be blamed, since the deal was finalised in 2005 when Oommen Chandy was the Chief Minister.

Minister for Public Works Mons Joseph who delivered the keynote address said that the cooperative sector should also work on developing infrastructure including roads.

Cooperatives have the responsibility to provide a helping hand to all sectors of activities under the new circumstances. The role of the cooperatives in developing tourism and agriculture should not be neglected.

Former Minister for Cooperation M. V. Raghavan said called for strengthening democracy in the cooperative sector.

President of the State Cooperative Union E. Narayanan presided over the conference. Former presidents of the Cooperative Union R. Parameshwaran Pillai and C. P. Moosankutty, President of the State Cooperative Bank Kadakampally Surendran, Chairman of Milma P. T. Gopalakurup, Marketfed Chairman V. Sathyaseelan, Housefed Chairman O. P. Moideen, Nafed Director Sibi J. Monippilly, Hantex Chairman K. P. Sadanandan, Raidco Chairman T. Krishnan and Kerafed Chairman M. Sukumara Pillai spoke at the seminar.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala said cooperatives had a big role to play in bridging the urban-rural divide and to stop the flight of people from the rural areas to the urban areas.

Inaugurating a meeting of representatives of cooperatives in the State as part of the congress, Mr. Chennithala said institutions like NABARD and cooperatives should play a big role in sustaining the country’s growth rate. Only sustained growth in the agriculture sector could ensure sustained overall growth, he said pointing to the example of China.

The Congress leader said over-politicisation of cooperatives should end so that they become more efficient and effective. He called for an end to corruption and inefficiency as private sector banks posed a grave challenge to the cooperative sector.

Former Union Minister of State for Railways and leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party O. Rajagopal said Varghese Kurien had a set an example for cooperatives in the State. There was a tendency in Kerala to over-politicise cooperatives, which was detrimental to the movement as a whole, he said.

Mr. Rajagopal said the example of the milk cooperative in Gujarat built by Dr. Kurien should lead the cooperative movement in Kerala. The BJP leader also said Indian culture provided the right atmosphere for the growth of the cooperatives.

K. N. Ravi, Managing Committee member of State Cooperative Union, welcomed the gathering.

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