ANNUAL PLAN 2002-03
Co-Operation

DEMAND NO. 4

1) CO-OPERATIVE EDUCATION:

Cooperation is a philosophy of life. State govt, under a policy has organised one MPCS Ltd. In each of the 159 GPUs of the state. Around 15% of the families in the area of operation of most of the MPCS only have so far been enrolled as member. The funds under the scheme shall be used in providing cooperative education both formally and informally to both members and potential members so that cooperative activities receive a fillip.

2) CO-OPERATIVE TRAINING

The funds earmarked under the scheme is meant for use in meeting training cost-requirement of both departmental and cooperative societies personnel including that of Apex cooperatives. The SISCO Bank is setting up five branches and personnel of this bank will also be trained.

3) INFORMATION AND PUBLICITY:

The year 2002 has officially been notified as the year of the cooperatives with a view to sensitize people to join cooperative societies and encourage self-employment and in the process accelerate cooperative movement. For this, the department and cooperatives including Apex will hold seminar, workshop, Sammelan, debate, essay competition etc. besides bringing out pamphlets/booklets on cooperative for distribution to the people. Study visits to good working cooperatives outside the state as also bringing experts, resource persons, cooperative leaders etc. from out side the state to guide our cooperative leaders will be organised. The outlay will be used for these programmes.

4) CREDIT CO-OPERATIVES:

The Sikkim State Cooperative Bank Ltd has become operational. The branch office of Namchi, South Distt. Has recently been opened and started functioning. The remaining five branches as per approval of R.B.I. will be opened within Xth Plan period. State equity to SISCO Bank, administrative grants to SISCO Bank, grants for purchase of SISCO shares by primary Cooperatives, rental and managerial assistance, assistance to MPCS govt. equity to MPCS, computerization of SISCO’s operation and assistance for enrolment of weaker section in SISCO Bank will be provided from this scheme.

5) SUPPLY AND MARKETING CO-OPERATIVES:

The SIMFED is an Apex federation of gram Panchayat MPCS, consumer cooperatives/ marketing and weaver cooperative etc. By setting up one Whole Sale supplies central godown at Rangpo Regulated Market SIMFED is providing consumer goods to its member societies at Siliguri wholesale rates. SIMFED will establish similar godown to serve south and west cooperative at Jorethang and in this case Rangpo godown will meet requirements of north and east cooperatives. The three vehicles given by the department will do within the state commodity transportation duty. The vehicles will also be used in transporting seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, farm tools and implements to the member society and on return these vehicles will carry marketable farm surplus to SIMFED’s godown for onward marketing.

For the above function, SIMFED will be provided with additional equity and also grants to member societies for purchasing shares of SIMFED. The Apex SIMFED and member societies will also be assisted by way of transport subsidy, marketing incentives, rental and managerial subsidies etc. The outlay under the scheme is meant to meet such requirements.

6) DAIRY CO-OPERATIVES:

There are over 110 registered primary milk producers’ cooperative societies and one Milk Union. The department will organise about 20 milk cooperatives in north district also by extending the area of operation of the existing Milk Union in north district. Most of the primary milk cooperatives are still running in rented accommodation. The amount provided under the scheme will be used to assist Milk Union with govt. equity, transport and processing subsidies and in assisting primary cooperatives for construction of their own small milk collection and testing houses.

7) CONSUMER CO-OPERATIVES:

Supply of consumer goods (both controlled and non-controlled) to the members of the societies has been the major function of the cooperative institutions in the state. Due to low margin given by Food Department on distribution of controlled goods, implementation of PDS scheme by cooperatives is eating up some profits of the cooperatives earned from other business. Cooperatives unlike privately run fair price shops cannot take recourse to trade malpractices. Also, the business requires huge capital.

The outlay under the scheme shall be used in providing state equity to both primary and apex SIMFED. The remaining portion of working capital shall be met from bank borrowing. Other area to be assisted by the govt. under the scheme are rental and managerial subsidies etc.

8) CO-OPERATIVE WARE HOUSING/GODOWN:

Hardly over 35 MPCS have their own godowns constructed out of govt. support, Over 130 MPCS are still to be supported with godown construction fund. Also, a site measuring over two acres has almost been finalized for housing head office cum godown of SIMFED at 5^th Mile, Tadong. The outlay under the scheme shall be used in meeting godown cum Sabha Grih construction of the cooperative societies.

9) CO-OPERATIVE AUDIT:

Audit is an important statutory function of the Registrar. The funds earmarked under the scheme is for improving quality of book keeping through training to the office bearers of the cooperatives. This is required to be done regularly as office bearers keep on moving in and out of the society. Audit officers shall also be sending on study visits to cooperatively developed states to have an access to improved audit methodology adopted by them.

10) DIRECTION AND ADMINISTRATION

The cadre strength of the department has recently been suitably raised upward consequent upon placement of cooperatives in the priority sector by the state govt. The funds provided under the scheme is meant for use in meeting usual pay and salaries, rents, office stationary, addition of a few vehicles for Joint/Additional Registrar or for replacement of old vehicles/adding pool vehicles for use in district/sub-divisions, establishing strengthening sub-Division and district offices, computerization of offices, meeting T.A/D.A. etc. A token provision has also been made for creating conference hall in the top floor of the existing head office building at Tadong which has been pending for the past three years due to various reasons.

ABSTRACT

Total Of which Capital 1. Co-operative Education Rs 5.00 lakhs   2. Co-operative Training Rs 8.00 lakhs   3. Publicity and Information Rs 20.00 lakhs   4. Credit Co-operatives Rs 52.80 lakhs Rs 15.00 lakhs 5. Transport and Marketing Coops. Rs 38.59 lakhs Rs 8.50 lakhs 6. Dairy Co-operatives Rs 4.00 lakhs Rs 1.00 lakhs 7. Consumer Co-operatives Rs 33.00 lakhs Rs 15.00 lakhs 8. Co-operative Warehousing Rs 10.00 lakhs   9. Co-operative Audit Rs 0.50 lakhs   11. Direction & Administration Rs 71.80 lakhs Rs 0.50 lakhs Total Rs 250.00 lakhs Rs 40.00 lakhs