Expressing deep concern over the neglect of cooperatives by successive governments, Dr. Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, MP (Rajya Sabha) and Chairman, NCUI and KRIBHCO said cooperatives play an important role in strengthening the economy of the country, but when union and state budgets are presented, not a single word is mentioned about them. Asking for adequate budgetary provision for cooperative education, training and infrastructure development, he explained how NCUI was trying its best to professionalise cooperatives by providing education, training and other inputs to its member organisations.

Dr. Yadav was addressing a zonal conference on Opportunities and Challenges before Cooperatives of Southern States as the chief guest. The conference was organised on 10 March, 2018 by NCUI at Regional Institute of Cooperative Management, Bengaluru which was attended by prominent cooperators, leaders and officials of the concerned states. Shri B S Vishwanathan, Chairman, Managing Committee of RICM, Bengaluru and veteran cooperator of the country honoured Dr. Yadav by presenting shawl and garland.

Earlier, delivering the welcome speech, Shri N Satya Narayana, Chief Executive, NCUI presented an outline of the evolution of cooperative movement in southern states and suggested measures that need to be adopted to strengthen the movement in these states.

Guest of Honour Shri M Ganagi, CGM, NABARD spoken about the status of cooperative credit sector and the initiatives taken by the government of Karnataka. He exhorted DCCBs and SLDBs to put in every effort to make their organisations strong. Banks need to make use of the concessional refinance provided by NABARD for term lending which would help in enhancing capital formation in agriculture, he said. “So long as board members are working with dedication and transparency, the cooperatives will not fail,” he underscored.

Speaking on the occasion, Shri Sivadasan Nair, MLA, who is also a Governing Council Member of NCUI, cited examples of involvement of nationalised banks in scams and said cooperative banks have to suffer for the wrongs committed by others. During the process of demonetisation, cooperatives were not given an opportunity to exchange the currency on the ground that there is corruption in the management, but everyone knows how commercial banks resorted to all corrupt means to help black money holders, he said with anguish.

During the day-long conference, papers were presented by Shri Arun Kumar, MD, Karnataka State Cooperative Federation; Dr. T Pranjothi, Director, ACSTI, Thiruvananthapuram; Shri K C Supekar, MD, NCDFI; Shri Sharanagowda G Patil, CEO, Karnataka State Souharda Federal Cooperative Ltd.; Shri D M Gandhi Naik, Chairman, Telangana State Girijan Cooperative Cooperation Ltd. Hyderabad; Smt Manzoor Khausia, General Manager, Telangana State Coop. Bank; and Smt. Leela Devi R Prasad, veteran cooperator and former Minister in the Karnataka government, among others.

Earlier, Director, RICM, Bengaluru honoured Dr. Bijender Singh, VicePresident, NCUI; Shri V R Patel, Chairman, NAFED; Shri K Sivadasan Nair; Shri V.P. Singh, Ex-President and GC Member, NCUI; Shri Mangal Jit Rai, Chairman, National Cooperative Dairy Federation; and Shri M Ganagi, CGM, NABARD, Bengaluru. Dr. K.N. Sinha, Director, GCP proposed vote of thanks at the end of the conference.