Delhi Cooperative Minister Rajendra Pal Gautam made no bones about his plans to shake up cooperative bodies in the state and hinted at possible action against those in office year after year.
Gautam did not name anybody but it was clear that Congress leader and Chairman of Delhi State Cooperative Bank Bijender Singh would be under scrutiny.
Bijendra Singh-a well known cooperator had made it to the Chairmanship of Delhi State Cooperative Bank for the 6th time in a row this year in June.
“With this Board this is my 6th term but actuality this is my 8th term as Chairman”, said Bijender earlier recounting
his experience of 1992 and 1993 when he won but an administrator was imposed leading to protracted legal tangles.
Delhi State Co-op Bank earned a profit of Rs 31 crore and this year and it aims to achieve 41 crore next year. It would be indeed tough for the AAP dispensation to disturb him especially when he has been winning elections.
The Minister wants to achieve his goal by amending the Co-op Act where re-election of the same office bearer would not be allowed. “see how we do it, we have to figure it out; we are eager to amend the laws to make it compliant with the 97th CAA and stop misuse of co-op bodies by the same team again and again”, Gautam underlined.
Gautam is also Minister of water and in the summer this department eats up most of his time. Yet during a surprise visit, he found a co-operative wholesale shop at Moti Nagar, indulging in various irregularities and ordered action against irregularities and asked for the report from the department.
A source says the minister said corruption in the co-op department cannot be tolerated and officials would be punished. There have been a spate of complaints of hoarding, financial irregularities and also the absence of staff.
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