'Societies should concentrate on welfare'

Joint registrar of cooperative societies B S Harish on Tuesday bemoaned over cooperative societies failing to utilise funds reserved for tribal development.

He was speaking after inaugurating a workshop on ‘Capability and Administrative Management’ for chairmen of State Lamps Cooperative Societies organised by State Cooperative Federation at Sahakar Bhavan in the city.

The officer said the government has devised many programmes for upliftment of tribals. However, the societies have failed to utilise even seven per cent of the funds earmarked in their budgets for tribal welfare. Instead, the societies are advancing loans, as is the widely-heard allegation, the officer remarked.

Stating that cooperative societies in Madhya Pradesh have set an example, the officer said the particular state was judiciously using fund up to crores of rupees. 

It’s exactly opposite here, where societies have used grants for constructing own buildings.

The state government is ready to help societies, but what’s lacking is cooperation among them, the officer regretted.

Praising tribals, the officer said it’s only due to them (tribals) that forests still exist, for they prevent vested interests from destroying the greenery. Moreover, they also have a good rapport with environment.

The state has 3.5 lakh tribal people. Of them, already over a lakh tribals have migrated to cities. Measures should be initiated for the welfare of remaining tribals, the officer urged.

He appealed to the societies to strive to help the needy to create basic amenities, besides developing savings habit among the people.

Earlier, the participants observed a minute’s silence in respect of former chief minister S Bangarappa, who passed away on Monday.

Chairman of Lamps Cooperative M Krishnaiah presided over the programme. Managing director S S Mahendra, deputy registrar of cooperative societies K M Shivakumar Swamy, assistant planning officer H D Manjunath and others were present on the occasion.