A group of MLAs cutting across the party lines in Karnataka has been asked to return home. They had, on paper, gone on a “study tour” to South America but were found indulging in merry-making with their families.
The incident has a familiar ring. Indian cooperative leaders are addicted to what is known as the so-called “study tour abroad” to further the cause of cooperative movement back home.
All cooperative organizations without exception have a member or two participating in this seminar or that at the cost of member’s money. Indian Cooperative has enough evidence to prove that after the so called seminars they plunge headlong into sight-seeing, merry-making and carousing.
There was public anger in Karnataka over the MLAs touring at the cost of public exchequer. But in the case of cooperative leaders, they splurge the money of the poorest of the poor-farmers with impunity.
There have been a few firsthand experiences for Indian Cooperative when the head of an apex cooperative organization of a foreign country had sought information from Cooperative Portal about certain cooperative leaders who had applied for approval to visit his country.
Many foreign cooperative organizations wanted to know if the names in the applications were genuine cooperative leaders or not.
Undertaking foreign tour is the easiest in the cooperative sector. Ministerial Babus including IAS officials have to seek clearance from higher-ups. But not so here. Managing Director or Chairman can decide to participate in any seminar at will. They also have the authority to send any body on a foreign trip without seeking clearance from anywhere.
Majority of cooperative organizations are supported by the government in India but the governmental control is non-existent, at least in matters of foreign trips.
Nobody has ever asked these leaders about what they have learnt or in what way their cooperative organizations have benefitted from their foreign trips. Beware, Indian Cooperative is watching you.