A talk with Shri Dilip Bhai Nanu Bhai Sanghani,
Hon’ble Cooperative Minister of Gujarat
Q.1 – What progress has been made in the Coop. Sector in your State till date?
Ans.– In Gujarat, there are 62343 Cooperative Societies registered under the Gujarat Co–operative Societies Act. 1961, which covers more than 1.25 crores membership, and thus, on average, one person is a Co–operative out of five.
Gujarat is better known for its milk cooperative societies on Amul Pattern. In Gujarat there are 13 District Milk Unions and 12402 Primary Milk Co–operatives and milk procurement is average 6.7 million kg. per day. The “white revolution” has great impact on rural economy.
Three tier Co–operative Credit structure has helped the farmers to get Agriculture credit. There are 7943 Primary Agricultural Credit Co–operative Societies in the State, functioning in rural areas. Upto 2008–09, 1182759(11 Lacs Eighty two thousands Seven Hundred Fifty nine) Kisan Credit Cards have been issued to the farmers to provide credit facility through the Dist. Coop. Banks. Total finance for agriculture through Co–operative Sector is more than Rs. 3500 Crores.
In Gujarat State, Agriculture Produce Market Committees are regulated through Gujarat APMC Act. There are 207 APMCs and approximately more than Rs.16989.97 Crores Agricultural Products are sold through APMCs per annum. It is the policy of the State Government to have one APMC in each Taluka in the State. APMCs facilitates farmers to give better prices. State Government has amended the APMC Act. in the line of Model Act. The focus is on E–market, Private Markets, Contract farming etc.
For the development and promotion, the State Government has set up Gujarat Agriculture Marketing Board, which takes care of APMCs and facilities them to create infrastructural facilitates through various Central and State Schemes like TMC, Infrastructure Schemes, RKVY etc. Every year the State Government allocates Rs.26 crores for the modernization of the APMCs of which 50% are for tribal areas and 25% Normal area of the State, under Kisan Kalpvruksh Scheme. In Gujarat State, Co–operative Societies and APMCs are also working for social causes like charitable activities related to health, education etc.
There are 260 Urban Co–operatives Banks in the State having 621 branches and 26.09 lacs membership. The total deposits of the banks amount to Rs.16156 crores and advances are Rs.10436 crores.
After downfall of some of the Urban Co–operative banks, State Government Banks, State Government has made stringent provisions in the Gujarat State Co–operatives Act. 1961 for regulation of Urban Co–operatives Banks and MOU has been signed for Task force for Urban Co–operative Banks (TAFCUB) with the Reserve Bank of India. Subsequently as a result of positive actions 22 weak Banks have been merged with strong Banks.
Q.2 – In your view what role does the Coop. Sector play in the economic development of your state?
Ans. – In Gujarat State Coop. Sector is performing a vital role in upliftment of rural poor farmer’s small traders & businessman in respect to economic development. In 18 Districts Central Cooperative Banks are functioning and providing rural credit through primary societies to the farmers. 260 Urban Banks are providing credit in non-farm sector. The total business in milk cooperative sector is exceeding 4000 crores per annum.
Q.3 – What plans and programmes have you prepared for the development of Coop. Sector in your state?
Ans. – In Gujarat, the cooperatives are allowed to grow professionally without Govt. interference. Govt. provides support in form of share capitals incentive, assistance, and subvention to Krishi (Agriculture) and Diamond related farmers to cooperatives and assistance to SC/STs for becoming member of cooperatives. We have prepared and implemented various plan schemes, which includes plans for Coop. marketing, Storage and Warehousing etc. The budgetary provisions for the year 2008–09 were Rs.45.49 Crores and Rs.81.14 Crores is for 2009–10.
Q.4 – How can the Cooperative Movement play and important role in various sectors of the economy so far untouched?
Ans. – Water Supply, Gas distribution are the potential sectors. Setting up Distillery/ethanol plant and setting up refined/sculptures sugar plant are the projects for future consideration.
Q.5 – Do you; think Coop. Movement can become an ideal tool for economic development of backward, minority, and tribal etc. communities?
Ans. – Yes, in fact, in Gujarat tribal community is much associated with the milk coop. societies, cooperative sugar factory & Minor Irrigation. In plan schemes also, there is a separate provision exclusively for the tribal and S.C.P. community.
Q.6 – What programmes would you consider suitable to develop the economically deprived sections through the coop. sector.
Ans. – Economically deprived section have already been covered under coop. sector especially, through the Milk Cooperative Societies and the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies.
Q.7 – What activities have been undertaken through the ICDP (Integrated Coop. Dev. Project) in your State?
Ans. – In Gujarat two districts i.e. Panchmahals and Surendranangar Districts were chosen for the benefit of the scheme in the year of 1992. Under the scheme, the Coop. Societies were given margin money, share capital and loan. NCDC was the nodal agency to provide financial assistance at the rate of 13.75%. As per the project scheme, 50% of administrative expenses were approved by way of subsidy. Remaining 50% amount was borne by the state govt. Under the scheme, the project amount for Surendranagar District was Rs.536.33 lakhs and Rs.446.02 lakhs for Panchmahals, total amounting to Rs.982.34 lakhs. This programme was in force upto 2001.
Q.8 – Have the Vaidyanathan Committee’s recommendations been implemented in your State. Has the state benefited and in what manner? If not implemented, what are the hurdles faced in it’s implementation.
Ans.– Yes Vaidhyanathan Committee’s recommendations have been implemented in Gujarat State and MOU has been signed. Gujarat Coop. Societies Act. 1961 has been suitably amended on 23/01/2008. The State is likely to get Rs.1219 crores under the package of which Rs.353 crores has been released in the first phase, ending March 2009.
Q.9 – Would you like to give a suitable message advice to the people of your state.
Ans. – Cooperation is an ideal instrument for community development and social change for Vibrant Gujarat.
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