On the occasion of 68th All India Cooperative Week, NCUI recently organized a webinar on ‘Ease of Doing Business For Cooperatives’ on 16th November,2021. The subject, a key area of focus of the newly created Ministry of Cooperatives, was also one of the key thematic areas of this year’s Cooperative Week celebrations.
Dr C Shambu Prasad, Professor, IRMA in his Keynote address said that India is doing well in ease of doing business, but since it is a controversial issue, ease of doing business should be more applicable to businesses which are working at the grass-root levels, more particularly disempowered organizations, and there is a need to assess whether these organizations are having single-window system for conducting smooth business.
Considering this, he said that there is a need to strengthen local institutions, and local ecosystems. He said that cooperatives must be recognized as enterprises, more particularly as social enterprises, and not charity organizations.
All cooperatives must be entrepreneurial in their approach, they need to invest in processes, so that they can engage with the markets, he elaborated. He further said that cooperatives need to devise effective customer-specific strategies, based on the pattern of SEWA. Further, he pointed out that the government should create an enabling atmosphere for facilitating cooperatives in ease of doing business, and it should make the process of registration of cooperatives simpler.
Shri B Subrahmanyam, Managing Director, NAFSCOB in his presentation said that the new Ministry of Cooperatives must address the issue of functional autonomy of rural cooperative banks for ease of doing business for rural cooperative credit institutions. He earlier pointed out that cooperative banks have never been allowed to carry business with ease due to duality of control, as Cooperation is a state subject.
Bhima said that there is a need to have a re-look at amendments in BR Act 2020 so that cooperative banks can have a supportive atmosphere for ease of doing business. Calling for more consultations between RBI, NABARD, cooperative banks and National Federation, he said that this is vital for tackling the issues smoothly as far as ease of doing business is concerned.
Shri K C Supekar, Managing Director, NCDFI in his presentation focusing on NCDFI e market, highlighted the role of technology in ease of doing business for cooperatives. He said that NCDFI e-market successfully supported member cooperatives in market-oriented supply of dairy and agricultural commodities, along with procurement of various products and services during covid crisis.
Sudhir Sharma, Financial Advisor, NCDC in his presentation said that instead of depending on World Bank parameters of ease of doing business, cooperatives must devise their own model based on their own requirements. He suggested that this model may be devised by inviting inputs from various cooperative organizations. He highlighted the case study of NCDC as a financial institution, with respect to ease of doing business for cooperatives.
Earlier, Dr Sudhir Mahajan, Chief Executive of NCUI in his opening address said that providing a supportive atmosphere to cooperatives is very important in ease of doing business so that they can compete with PSUs and private enterprises. He on the occasion highlighted various initiatives taken by NCUI in recent times.
He said that collaboration has been forged with the German Development Corporation, which can help with professional training modules for training of PACS. Besides, he pointed out NCUI’s other collaborations with Rainmatter Foundation, Art of Living, etc so as to create a conducive ecosystem which may help cooperative organizations grow and flourish in an effective manner.
The webinar was attended by many representatives of cooperative organizations, academicians, researchers, etc. Sanjay Verma, Dy Director, NCUI coordinated the event.