Cooperative sector’s services neglected: Sudhakaran

Cooperative sector’s services neglected: Sudhakaran ALAPPUZHA: Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran has said that the cooperative sector was not getting the attention it deserves despite playing a major role in the State’s development. Speaking after launching the Alappuzha District Cooperative Bank’s core banking system and ATM as part of the bank’s modernisation project, Mr. Sudhakaran said that the policy makers would have to realise and acknowledge the contributions of the Cooperative sector to the State and do the needful. The government was yet to reimburse Rs.35 crore due to the Cooperative Department, which the department had incurred for running festival markets at subsidised rates, the Minister said. The department was extending interest-free loans to farmers and was also arranging low-interest loans for the purchase of combine harvester machines. However, these acts, which were not after any order but because of the department’s social commitment, were not being acknowledged through timely financial assistance. The Minister also said that around 100 banks in the State had not disbursed a single paisa as agricultural loans so far and that these banks would be blacklisted. District Cooperative Bank president C.B. Chandrababu presided over the function.