It is heartening to note that the subject cooperative has acquired importance in states’ elections with political parties vying to outdo each other. Luckily, there are many co-operators who are also in the electoral fray and are representing the co-operative willingly or unwillingly.
Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) and Samajwadi Party (SP) released their manifestos on Tuesday for the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections and made several promises to strengthen the cooperative sector of the state.
BJP, on its part announced to set up new cooperative sugar mills and milk cooperatives in the state whereas the Samajwadi party vowed to make cooperatives of the state free from political interference.
In its manifesto, BJP announced a Rs 5,000 crore scheme for modernizing sugar mills whereas the Samajwadi party promised to make a corpus fund of Rs 10,000 crore for ensuring the payment of sugarcane farmers in 15 days.
In a bid to make Uttar Pradesh number one in milk production, BJP would set up new milk cooperatives in villages so that producers of milk can get a good price. According to the Samajwadi Party manifesto, “We will strengthen the farm cooperatives by reviewing their position and will make it free from corruption and political interference”.
The SP manifesto further reads that “If we come in power, our government will work to strengthen cooperative societies, so that farmers get urea, pesticides and other agricultural inputs at better prices”.
It bears recalling that the present situation of the co-operative in the state of Uttar Pradesh is not very encouraging. Several cooperative societies across the state are facing financial crises. Even many District Central Cooperative Banks are running in losses.
One of the noticeable acts done by the Yogi govt during its tenure was to capture the seat of cooperative power
and fill the posts with BJP men. During the state elections of different co-op bodies, charges of malpractice and unfair means against the ruling party were rampant. Several matters are still pending in courts.
Yogi, however is credited for busting the racket of illegal recruitment for different cooperative positions in the state, done during the Akhilesh regime. Besides, the Yogi government is also working on the project to merge the DCCBs of the state with the Uttar Pradesh State Cooperative Bank. The matter may acquire urgency if Yogi gets re-elected.
There are several cooperative leaders including Yashpal Singh Yadav, Er Ankit Parihar, Maninder Pal, Nagendra Singh Rathore, and others contesting the assembly polls.
The congress party will come out with the manifesto today. The elections in Uttar Pradesh are to be conducted in seven phases and the first phase will be held on 10 February. The results will be announced on 10th March.
