Leading cooperators of the country led by Chandra Pal Singh Yadav, President of NCUI met Union Minister of State for Agriculture Puroshottam Rupala in the Agriculture Ministry soon after the AGM of KRIBHCO on Thursday.
The subject of discussion was promised bail-out package for beleaguered agri-cooperative Nafed which has not materialized yet.
Other cooperators who accompanied Yadav included Bijendra Singh, G.H. Amin and Nafed Vice-Chairman Dileepbhai Sanghani.
Cooperative leaders have been meeting the former minister Mohanbhai Kundariya so far seeking to know what is happening to NAFED bailout package. The package which was promised nearly a year ago is yet to arrive leading to confusion in the minds of people connected to the cooperative behemoth.
Readers would recall the govt had decided to give an annual grant of Rs 30 crore for a period of 5 years to the Nafed to meet its financial obligations including salaries of employees and administrative expenses.
The govt had also offered to stand as guarantor of Nafed before the lending banks who had moved Debt Recovery Tribunal for recovery of their outstanding dues of around Rs 1700 crores.
On Thursday meeting with the Minister Dileepbhai Sanghani said“We talked on several issues related to cooperatives but mostly focused on Nafed bail-out package. We impressed on the minister that the Government should release the NAFED bail -out package sooner rather than later”.
Cooperators also discussed the protection of farmers and emphasis on employment generation through cooperatives. The meeting lasted more than half an hour.
Rupala listened to our views carefully and assured us his support, said Sanghani to this correspondent on phone soon after the meeting with the minister.