Senior Sahakar Bharati leader and RBI Board member Satish Marathe has made a pitch for the cooperative sector handling Public Sector Undertakings. Marathe has asked the Modi govt to mull the move so as to run them in an efficient manner.
Marathe argues “As the process of Disinvestment picks up, not all PSUs need to be Privatised, some can or should be Cooperativized !”
Setting a great store by the success of business enterprises like Amul, IFFCO and others through the co-operative model of business, Marathe is confident that some of the loss-making PSUs can be revived successfully.
Sahakar Bharati in general and Marathe in particular have been emphasizing that co-op is primarily a business idea. Fighting the existing mindset of co-operators in the country , Sahakar Bharati has been advocating “Co-op as business enterprises”.
Marathe is aware of the fact that once PSUs are enabled to become co-operatives, the latter need to have their rules and regulations conforming to global standards. He advocates reforms and liberalization of the existing multi-state co-op act (MSCS Act).
In Marathe’s words “Reforms & further Liberalisation of the Multi State Co-Op Societies Act and a Separate Co-Op Ministry at the Centre is the need of the hour!”
Urging upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the issue Marathe says “Co-Ops expect a positive response from the Modi Govt!”
It bears recall that asset monetisation has been given importance to this year’s Budget. Implementing the budgetary proposals for disinvestment of public sector units is a major goal for the government as of now as a new disinvestment policy is said to be on the anvil.
Interestingly, the RSS affiliates such as Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) and Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) are opposed to the idea of disinvestment. But a dialogue between them and the government is going on to sort out the difference, said sources.