Terming cooperatives societies as noble idea with revolutionary scope, Advisor to Lieutenant Governor, Farooq Khan today called for making JK Cooperatives a vibrant, profit making and leading service provider organisation.
Chairing a meeting to review working of cooperative institutions here today, Advisor Khan said the cooperatives were started as a pan-India movement with focus on agriculture and other allied sectors. He said, though the ambit of the cooperatives has expanded, but some cooperatives lagged behind in growth. He said these can be revived only by infusing belongingness among their management and other stakeholders.
The meeting was attended by Secretary J&K Cooperatives Department, Abdul Majeed Bhat; Registrar Cooperative Societies, Asif Hameed Khan; Managing Directors of Cooperative Banks and other Cooperative Societies, besides other concerned.
He said the Government’s role in Cooperatives was only as a facilitator and the people being the sole guardian of these societies. He impressed upon the stakeholders to work with dedication adding that there is need for enforcing accountability in the system to enhance its performance.
He directed the concerned heads of the cooperatives to meet the set timelines for compiling data of the assets and properties and other works.
He stressed upon the department to expand the Super Bazars, saying these utility stores have immense scope to grow.
“Government, people and other stakeholders will readily approach these centers to purchase things like they do at Government e-Market (GeM) portal” he added.
The Advisor emphasized on adding a range of activities in cooperatives, which can benefit masses in terms of reasonable rates and accessibility. He further instructed for the retrieval of encroached properties of cooperatives and securing them from further encroachment by fencing or raising boundary walls.
Meanwhile, the MDs of different cooperatives presented a detailed account of functioning of their respective organizations and also projected issues being faced by them.
The meeting also discussed the NPAs of cooperative banks. The MDs of banks were asked to formulate a comprehensive report of NPAs and take measures to expedite recovery from the defaulters.
The meeting was also informed that one Agri mart is being set at Sopore and another at Bishnah under PM Investment Programme at the cost of Rs 70 crore each.
It was also informed that the Co-operative department has been engaged in registration of Cooperative Societies in different economic areas like agriculture, dairy, poultry, housing, floriculture, medical, education, consumer business, banking, micro credit, women empowerment, transport, vegetable growers Co-op, Labour etc.