The much talked about amendments in the MSCS Act 2002 have got finalized and the Bill called MSCS Amendment Act 2022 is likely to be introduced in Parliament this year.
Last Friday, the Ministry of Cooperation gave the amendments in the multi state co-op Act the green light, reliable sources confide. Without giving details of the changes being introduced in the Act, sources added that the final draft is ready and the Bill will be introduced in this very year, that is 2022.
The proposed amendments would be uploaded on the govt website in a couple of days for public comment and feedback. The draft would also be sent to each and every multistate co-op active in the country.
The proposed amendments have already been circulated among all the stake-holders govt departments and the related ministries. The Cooperation Ministry is awaiting their feedback, add sources.
It is also being learned that a presentation on the proposed amendments in the MSCS Act has been made before the Cabinet. The Cabinet approval for the same would be sought once the feedback from all the stake-holders are examined.
The Ministry is busy preparing replies for the likely queries that may come up during the discussion on the MSCS Act 2022 in the Parliament. “Foot-notes”, explaining the rationale behind each change (amendments) is what we are working on”, explained the official.
It bears recall that the multi state co-op acts were last amended in 2002, that is twenty years ago. Much water has flown through the Ganges since and the Act and the development of co-ops in the country, have failed to keep pace with each other, they point out.
Things changed for the better when the present Modi govt decided to create a separate ministry for cooperation, which was being looked after by a Joint Secretary level official. The anointment of a dynamic leader like Amit Shah helped the Ministry take off in a manner nobody imagined.
In his repeated speeches, Amit Shah has made it clear that Co-op is crucial to nation-building. Shah through his Ministry is busy creating a co-op ecosystem where all the rural changes would take place through co-ops. The recent draft proposed for PACS is a case in point.
In this very series, changes in the Act of multi state co-ops were a foregone conclusion but the fact that it would be done this very year was news for all. Another major area on which the Ministry is focussing is the New National Co-op Policy. Stay glued here to keep pace with the development.