Maya banks on co-ops for upliftment of Dalits

Already,33,507 people have been inducted into co-operatives,he said.

The state has over 7,000 primary agricultural co-operative societies (PACS) and the government has fixed target for the induction of SC/ST members in all districts. The main work of PACS is giving farm loans to their members.

The practice of the government paying for the membership to SCs/STs in cooperatives has existed for long,but past governments spent very small amounts for this purpose,said an official.

The Mayawati govenrment has given a new thrust to the practice and never before was so much money spent in a year on this,the official said.

Also for the first time,SC/ST members of primary agriculture cooperative societies are being imparted training by the government.

“About Rs 40 lakh has been allocated for the training this year. Last year too,Rs 50 lakh was spent,” said an official. Two blocks have been identified in every district to organise training camps.

Any villager can become a member of the village PACS by purchasing a share,which costs Rs 20. Against one share,a member can take a loan of Rs 100 for agricultural purposes.

The government is buying five shares for each SC/ST member being inducted in the societies.

If the member wants,he can buy more shares on his own and become entitled to get a proportionately higher loan,an official explained.

But that is only one benefit.

The membership of a PACS makes every SC/ST member a voter in a cooperative election which,in turn,will also make him eligible to contest cooperative elections.

“This is one step in political empowerment of the Dalits at the grassroot level,” said an official. “While ownership of land is necessary to get a farm loan,it is not necessary to contest an election”.

By contesting election,a member can move up the chain of the cooperative structure,from village,to block,to district and then the state level.

“Although cooperative bodies are independent units at every level,the UP Cooperative Bank has a share-holding in several coopertive bodies.

“The PACS is like a centre of primary education in cooperatives,” remarked an official.

The training material for the “development of leadership among the PACS members of SC/ST community,members of management committees and elected members” has been prepared by the UP Cooperative Union. It contains information about the functioning of the cooperative bodies at the grassroots level.