National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) is working on the recommendations of the Cooperative Congress held on June 25. Some of the recommendations would have far-reaching implications for the cooperative sector, according to G H Amin, vice-president of NCUI.
NCUI’s Chief Executive Dr Dinesh also echoed similar view when Indian Cooperative asked him about this.
A relaxed man after the hectic schedule of Cooperative Congress Dr Dinesh, Chief Executive of National Cooperative Union of India told Indian Cooperative that the hype around inaugural session helped us attract peoples’ attention but technical session was the soul of the two-day function.
More than 8-10 sessions were held in which speakers like U S Awasthi, IFFCO MD, R S Sodhi, MD of Amul and other notables participated, Dr Dinesh added. NCUI is going to take up a few of the recommendations very seriously.
Dr Dinesh emphasized that speakers were unanimous on the question of including cooperatives as a subject in the curriculum of schools and colleges. Unless we groom the young mind in the cooperative spirit how can we have a generation of cooperators steeped in the cooperative values, he asked.
Second recommendation on which NCUI is working relates to raising a force of women cooperators at grass roots level. It has become all the more important after the 97th Constitutional amendment where it is enshrined that women have to be on the board of cooperatives, Dr Dinesh asserted.
Reservations would be to no avail if we do not create an enabling atmosphere where more and more women find it worthwhile to involve themselves in the affairs of local cooperative bodies. NCUI needs to work from below and at the grass-roots level, he clarified.
Third major issue related to income tax exemption for cooperatives. We had invited the famed Lakhotia to chair a technical session on the issue and the participants profited a lot from his speech. NCUI plans to rope in Lakhotia in near future to help the cooperatives get free of IT strangle-hold, Dr Dinesh exuded optimism.
Dr Dinesh said that it was a Cooperative Kumbh in which everyone benefited. It was a win win situation for all the stake holders and I thank IFFCO, KRIBHCO, GCMMF and others for their unflinching support, he concluded.