In order to facilitate a wider coverage of issues, the apex body of state cooperative banks- NAFSCOB in collaboration with the International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA), organized an international conference on the ‘Development of Cooperative Credit & Banking Structure’ in Hyderabad on Monday.
The conference was inaugurated by Ponnam Prabhakar, Telangana Minister for Transport and Backward Classes Welfare, who delivered the inaugural address. Karnataka Cooperation Minister K.N. Rajanna attended as the Guest of Honour.
In his address, Prabhakar, a prominent co-operator shared his experiences and discussed the development role played by the Telangana State Government.
He emphasized the need for democratic management of cooperatives, timely elections, and self-sufficiency among cooperatives. He also advocated for the establishment of member-oriented, autonomous, and viable cooperatives.
Addressing the participants, Rajanna offered valuable insights related to various cooperative sectors. He highlighted the positive role played by the Karnataka government in the development of cooperatives, along with the protection of democratic principles, values, and ethics as advocated by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA).
Key topics discussed included organizational structure, management, the vision and mission of cooperatives, agriculture and farm credit policies, the impact of refinancing, the relevance and applicability of democratic management, governance, and the role of government in developing cooperative credit and banking institutions. Strategies for capacity-building, performance indicators, and human resource-related issues were also discussed.
NAFSCOB Chairman Konduru Ravinder Rao shared insights about the event and emphasized the role of state cooperative banks, District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), and Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (PACS) in empowering farmers.
It is noteworthy that a 42-member delegation of cooperative leaders from the cooperative savings and the credit sector of Honduras, including members of the Federation of Cooperative Credit Union of Honduras (FACACH), participated in the event. FACACH is a member of the Global Committee of Cooperative Credit and Cooperative Banking under the ICA.
Their visit to India, coordinated by the ICBA and NAFSCOB, included visits to various cooperative institutions such as the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank, NABARD in Mumbai, and SHIKHAR, a training and research institute in Vashi, Navi Mumbai.
The delegation also visited the Vaikunth Mehta National Institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM) and the College of Agricultural Banking of the RBI in Pune.
