Date:29/07/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/07/29/stories/2005072909820500.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

Revival plan for Mysore HOPCOMS

Staff Reporter

Proposal is awaiting the clearance of the Finance Department

BANGALORE: The State Government has taken steps to rectify the shortcomings in HOPCOMS (Horticultural Produce Cooperative Marketing Societies), and the Mysore HOPCOMS would be revived at a cost of Rs. 2.79 crores, the Cooperation Minister, R.V. Deshpande, said in the Legislative Council on Thursday.

Replying to the discussion on the demands for grants for the Cooperation Department, Mr. Deshpande said the proposal was with the Finance Department for approval. Another plan awaiting approval was the revolving fund for cooperative sugar factories. The Government also planned to provide better infrastructure to HOPCOMS. Mr. Deshpande said there were 9,919 cases of misappropriation which had come to light in the cooperative societies and funds to the tune of Rs. 76.78 crores had been misappropriated. The Government would address the problems by directing the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to conduct the audit.

Mr. Deshpande said the Yeshaswini health insurance scheme had become popular and so was the Kisan credit card scheme. The scheme had caught the eye of the Union Government, while Harvard University in the U.S. had set up a chair for the study of such schemes.