Date:10/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/10/stories/2008021054310300.htm

Kerala - Alappuzha

Minister fires salvo at cooperative societies

Staff Reporter

Says those in Alappuzha are least committed to the public

Alleges none of the societies has initiated programmes to benefit the public
Says 15 societies in district will be disbanded
for corrupt deals

ALAPPUZHA: Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran has said that cooperative societies in Alappuzha are the least committed of the lot to the public.

Speaking after inaugurating the silver jubilee celebrations of the Alleppey Electricity Employees’ Cooperative Society (AEECS) here on Saturday, Mr. Sudhakaran said none of the cooperative societies in the district had initiated any programme that would benefit the public.

On the other hand, a majority of the cooperative societies here, with the exception of employees’ cooperative societies like the AEEC, were involved in fraudulent deals. Seven cooperative societies in the district had already been disbanded while another 15 would soon face similar action, all for corrupt deals. There were several societies in Kuttanad too, which had taken poor farmers for a ride, the Minister said, adding that such a situation existed only in Alappuzha.

At the same time, the cooperative sector in the State was touching new heights with deposits in the sector crossing Rs.36,000 crore, Mr. Sudhakaran said.

This was after discounting the amounts disbursed as loans and arrears.

In the recent past, nine professional colleges were opened in the cooperative sector alone, including engineering colleges, business colleges, hotel management institutions and conventional arts and science colleges, he added.

K.S. Manoj, MP; K.C. Venugopal, MLA, Municipal chairman P.P. Chittaranjan and others were present.