Maya extends cooperative bodies’ tenure

It was the Mayawati government which had first reduced the tenure of elected cooperative bodies from three to two years in September 2007. Subsequently,in 2009,fresh elections to 11790 of the total 12291 cooperative bodies were held. Sources in the state cooperative department said the elections enabled the BSP supporters to get placed in cooperative bodies right from village level to the state. Sources further said the two-year tenure of the elected functionaries,including the chairmen and directors of these cooperative bodies,was to end from this July.

“In UP,more than one lakh directors who are elected to these cooperative bodies would be benefited by the decision to extend the tenure of management committees of these bodies,” a source in the cooperative department pointed out.

The government decision would also benefit the elected functionaries of eight apex cooperative bodies such as UP Cooperative Banks Limited and UP Cooperative Federation.

Sources in the cooperative department said with this decision the Mayawati government has tried to kill two birds with one stone. “First, it has obliged the elected functionaries who matter most in UP politics at village level. Secondly,as per the Vaidyanathan committee report,the decision would enable the state government to receive about Rs 1170 crore from the Central fund for revival of rural primary agricultural credit cooperative societies,” a source in the government said.

The source further said the state was supposed to get about Rs 1800 crore from the centre for strengthening the cooperative societies in rural areas. “But it could get only around Rs 650 crore till date,” the source said. According to him,the state could not get this share in absence of elected functionaries of these cooperative bodies. The extension of tenure will allow the government to make its claim for the stipulated central share. Had the government not extended the tenure,it would have no other choice than appointing administrators in these committees. “The elections to these committees were due from July but they are not possible on time in view of the coming 2012 assembly elections in the state,” a source added.

Moreover,the decision is also expected to place the ruling BSP in politically advantageous position.

“The cooperative bodies are crucial in politics in villages. They can easily oblige farmers by ensuring them loans,fertilisers and seeds. They would certainly feel obliged by the government’s decision of extending the cooperative bodies’ tenure,” he said.