CM to inaugurate UCF’s majestic building

If you are a known cooperator please mark a date in your calendar for 30th June for Dehradun where UCF Chairman Pramod Kumar Singh is likely to invite your for the inauguration of the grand building for the cooperatives secretariat. In his latest FB post Singh has confirmed Uttrakhand CM’s participation in the programme who is slated to inaugurate the building.

Singh has invited who’s who of cooperatives including IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi and NCUI President Dr Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, besides a large number of other cooperators. The building is likely to be inaugurated by the State Chief Minister in the presence of state cooperation minister, Pramod told this correspondent.

The building sprawling over 6000 square meter is an architectural marvel with four arms jutting out from the body in four directions in a manner that each hall or room has enough of ventilation. Located close to the state Assembly the building flies the cooperative flag with pride.

“UCF would occupy the top floor and the rest of the floors would be rented out”, said Pramod. It is being built by the state construction agency called Rajkiya Nirman at the cost of Rs 22 crore. The entire money has come from our own earnings and not a pai taken from anywhere, said Singh with a sense of pride.

Asset-creation is an important part of a viable cooperative movement and this building would stand the movement in good stead should any crisis befall it in the future, said Singh. Also if we plan to launch a new project and need loans we could always pledge this asset as a collateral , he added.

While talking to the agent of the state construction agency Singh wanted to know from them the time frame when it would be ready. This correspondent found that the structure is complete but the internal landscaping is yet to be done. The roads on the premises would be ready in another fortnight and carpet- grass a la mode would be spread to invest the place with history said the agent.

The assets building by cooperatives is a welcome move as it provides strength to the organization, said many cooperators. They quoted the case of Biscomaun Bhavan close to Gandhi Maidan in Patna as a case in point. The rent of the Bhavan helps the state cooperative marketing federation somewhat reduce its dependence on the govt.

Another case is that of NLCF which could survive because of the addition of one extra floor to its Sarita Vihar office in Delhi. CGHS- gives the cooperative federation enough rent so that it could pay off the staff salaries even in the event of the govt financial help tapering off.