The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : Sudhakaran puts PACCS on notice

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jul 02, 2009
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

Sudhakaran puts PACCS on notice

Special Correspondent

‘Societies that fail to advance farm loans will lose special status’

G.Sudhakaran

Thiruvananthapuram: Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran has warned the primary agriculture credit cooperative societies (PACCS) that failed to advance farm loans that they will lose their special status.

Replying to the debate on demands for grants for his department in the Assembly on Wednesday, Mr. Sudhakaran said the PACCS would be required to advance a prescribed percentage as farm loans.

The government had already withdrawn the special status of 22 such societies that had not advanced any kind of farm loans. The blacklisted societies would lose several privileges, including income tax concessions, Nabard refinance and the right to use the term “bank”, not to mention the changes in the pay scales of employees.

Agriculture branches

He said that plans were being prepared for a Rs.5,000-crore agriculture credit scheme. The District Cooperative Bank in Alappuzha, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta would open special agriculture branches.

He listed out the various steps being taken by the cooperative sector to meet the Onam shopping demand. The cooperative markets at the district-level would sell 32 items which would be 5 per cent less than the prevailing market rate from August 1 to 10.

The department would organise 5,000 Onam fairs and by December, Consumerfed would open supermarkets in all Assembly constituencies.

The Minister said consequent to the decision to sanction 240 more seats in Cooperative Engineering College, the total number of engineering seats would go up to 2,095 this year. The 10th anniversary of the Cooperative Academy for Professional Education would be celebrated and year-long programmes held at various levels.

Mr. Sudhakaran said that the Rs.15.80 crore mobilised through the Navaratna lotteries would be distributed to 16 cooperative institutions, including Rubco, Pariyaram medical college, Consumerfed and Coirfed.

A 3 per cent concession on medicines sold through cooperative medical shops would be available for the Scheduled Castes and Tribes and 2 per cent concession for the other weaker sections, he said.

Neethi stores and Neethi medical stores would be opened in panchayats which were not covered at present. Neethi stores and Neethi medical stores that failed to lift stock from Consumerfed will be delicensed, he said.

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

Kerala