The Hindu : Karnataka News : Rs. 390 crore soon for co-op. bodies: Minister

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 15, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Karnataka

Karnataka

Rs. 390 crore soon for co-op. bodies: Minister

Special Correspondent

It will be towards waiver of outstanding loans and interest in cooperative institutions, says Lakshman Savadi

Yashasvini health scheme for farmers extended till August-end
Sick cooperative sugar factories to be handed over to private parties

PARTNERSHIP: Co-operation Minister Lakshman Savadi (second from right) handing over share certificate to a woman at the inaugural function of Vikas Vividhoddesha Sauharda Sahakari, at Karkala in Udupi district on Monday. K. Raghupati Bhat, MLA (fourth from right), M.N. Rajendra Kumar (third from right), chairman of Apex Bank are seen.

MANALORE: The Government will soon release the outstanding dues of Rs. 390 crore towards waiver of cooperative loans and interests, Cooperation Minister Lakshman Savadi said here on Monday.

He said that the dues also pertained to waiver of two per cent interest on loans announced during S.M. Krishna’s regime.

Mr. Savadi said he had taken up the issue with the Finance Department and had received “positive response in this regard.” The release could be expected after the budget session of the State, he added.

The Minister said that the “Yashasvini”, health scheme for the poor, had been extended till August-end and the farmers could avail the benefit by registering their names through cooperative institutions. Mr. Savadi said that the Government would organise a seven-day “Cooperation mela” at Hubli or Bangalore, after the rainy reason, where cooperative institutions would be apprised of the the Vaidyanathan Committee’s recommendations on reviving sick units. The Centre had announced a package, based on the committee’s recommendations, for the revival of short term rural cooperative credit structure, he said.

Mr. Savadi said that the Government had issued an order making it compulsory for every village having a panchayat to set up a primary agriculture cooperative society. The Government was considering fixing a time frame for disposal of litigations pertaining to cooperative institutions. The concern expressed by the members of cooperative banks in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi over the proposed replacement of “bank” with “society” from their organisations’ names would be taken up with the Centre. The members were worried about the fate of their deposits once the banks became societies. “But, we will discuss this issue and convince the Centre about retaining them as banks,” he said.

Mr. Savadi held a meeting with the cooperative institutions in the district at the South Canara District Central Cooperative Bank Ltd here.

‘For a stronger sector’

Udupi Staff Correspondent reports: Minister for Cooperation Lakshman Savadi said on Monday that the Government will give priority to establishing co-operative societies in those Gram Panchayats, which did not have them.

He was speaking to presspersons at Karkala in Udupi district, after inaugurating the Vikas Multi-purpose Co-operative Society there.

Mr. Savadi said that the Government would be identifying sugar factories under the co-operative sector, which were running under loss. Such factories would be handed over to private sector on contract basis to rejuvenate them. Already, eight sugar factories had been handed over private sector. The Raibagh and Khanapur co-operative sugar factories in Belgaum district were the next in line, he added.

He said that the Government was planning to construct a “Sahakari Bhavan” at a cost of Rs. 20 crore in Bangalore, soon. The land for this bhavan had been identified. The Union Government would be urged to either issue coins or stamps in memory of S.S. Patil, the founder of co-operative movement in Karnataka, he said and added that his Ministry would review the performance of co-operative institutions at the taluk and district levels in the State.

To a query, he said that the Government was thinking about providing organic fertilizers to farmers. To another question, he said the accounts of co-operatives would be audited by Chartered Accountants. The latter would present the audit reports at the general body meeting of co-operative societies, Mr. Savadi said.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Karnataka