The Silver Jubilee valedictory programme of the Souharda Cooperative Movement was held with considerable enthusiasm and participation in Belagavi recently, marking 25 years of the enactment of the Souharda Cooperative Act in Karnataka.
Organised by the Karnataka State Souharda Federal Cooperative Ltd. (KSSFCL), the event at KLE Jirage Bhavan on the S.S. Patil Stage brought together more than 4,800 cooperators from Belagavi district, the Belagavi division and other parts of the state, underlining the scale and significance the movement has achieved over the years.
The city wore a festive look, with welcome banners and cut-outs of Souharda cooperatives displayed prominently across Belagavi, while the KLE campus reflected a celebratory atmosphere showcasing the activities and outreach of the Souharda sector. The dais was named in honour of former Cooperation Minister S.S. Patil, acknowledging his pivotal role in shaping the Souharda framework in the state.
The programme began with the hoisting of the seven-coloured cooperative flag by Belagavi MP and former Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar, followed by the National Integration Pledge administered by KSSFCL Managing Director Sharangouda Patil.
One of the highlights of the event was the felicitation of representatives of the earliest Souharda cooperatives. Presidents and vice-presidents of 30 institutions, among the first 50 that laid the foundation of the Souharda Federal Cooperative, were honoured by Jagadish Shettar and Mahantesh Kavatagimath, recognising their contribution to building the movement.
The formal valedictory session was inaugurated by Karnataka Public Works Department Minister Satish Jarkiholi, who symbolically watered a plant to mark the occasion. Welcoming the gathering, KSSFCL Director Jagadish Kavatagimath highlighted the collective effort behind the growth of the Souharda system.
KSSFCL President Nanjana Gowda traced the birth and evolution of the Souharda Cooperative Movement in Karnataka, noting that the completion of 25 years was a shared achievement of cooperatives across the state, and urged the government to continue supporting its expansion.
Addressing the gathering, Satish Jarkiholi said the state government was committed to the development of the Souharda sector while ensuring depositor safety. He underlined that the government’s concern was limited to safeguarding public money and not interfering in day-to-day functioning, adding that he would take the sector’s demands to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.
He described the progress of the Souharda movement in Karnataka as satisfactory and called upon cooperatives to design schemes that strengthen the economic condition of the poor.
MLA Laxman Savadi emphasised that economic upliftment of the poor must remain central to cooperative activity.
Reflecting on the achievements of the last 25 years, he said the sector must move forward while imbibing the work ethic of leaders like S.S. Patil, whose contribution had enhanced the stature of cooperatives in the state. Former Legislative Council Chief Whip Mahantesh Kavatagimath described Belagavi’s bond with the cooperative sector as inseparable and urged institutions to balance financial services with social responsibility.
Jagadish Shettar observed that cooperatives had evolved from being service-oriented entities into strong economic institutions embedded in everyday life. He said the government aimed to make cooperatives a mainstream component of the economy and cautioned Souharda institutions to function transparently so that depositors’ trust was never compromised.
KLE Society Chairman and former Rajya Sabha member Prabhakar Kore echoed the demand for operational freedom, stating that autonomy and suitable amendments to the Cooperative Act were essential for the sector’s long-term survival.
Women and Child Development Minister Lakshmi Hebbalkar, attending as chief guest, said cooperatives were vital centres of socio-economic development for the poor. While policies and regulations were sometimes necessary, she stressed that they should not undermine autonomy, assuring that the government remained committed to addressing shortcomings faced by Souharda cooperatives.
Former Cooperation Minister S.S. Patil recalled the circumstances that led to the enactment of the Souharda Cooperative Act, describing it as a model that had drawn national attention. He called for full autonomy, transparency and professionalism, asserting that Souharda cooperatives should emerge as symbols of efficient economic development.
Cooperative thinker and former KSSFCL president Manohar Maski reinforced this view, arguing for regulation that supports, rather than replaces, autonomy, and advocating reforms such as risk-based regulation, a cooperative ombudsman and stronger audit mechanisms.
The programme also saw the release of key publications documenting the journey of the Souharda movement, along with the inauguration of cooperative stalls and felicitation of former office-bearers. The event concluded with a vote of thanks by KSSFCL Vice President A.R. Prasanna Kumar, bringing to a close a landmark celebration of 25 years of the Souharda Cooperative Movement in Karnataka.
