Govt constitutes committees at UT, District level to strengthen Cooperative movement in J&K

Srinagar, Dec 19: Government of Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday accorded sanction to the constitution of a Union Territory Level Cooperative Development Committee and a District Level Cooperative Committee to strengthen cooperative movement and deepen its reach in the UT.

According to an order, a copy of which lies with Greater Kashmir, the UT Level Cooperative Development Committee will be chaired by Chief Secretary J&K.

Its members will be Administrative Secretary, Agriculture Production Department; Administrative Secretary, Finance Department; Administrative Secretary, Department of RDD & Panchayati Raj; Administrative Secretary, Revenue Department; Registrar of Cooperative Societies J&K; Chief General Manager, NABARD J&K; Convener J&K Lead Bank (UTLBC); Representative from National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), Representative from National Diary Development Board (NDDB); Representative from National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB); Chairman/Managing Director of State Cooperative Bank; Chairman/Managing Director of State Federation of Dairy Cooperative Societies; Chairman/Managing Director of State Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Societies and Any other Co-opted Member will be the members of the Committee.

The Administrative Secretary Revenue Department will function as Convener of the Committee.

The UT level committee has been directed to ensure that all the Panchayats/Villages in the UT are covered by multipurpose PACS or primary dairy/ fishery cooperative societies, as the case may be. It will review the district-wise action plan for setting up new multipurpose PACS or primary dairy/ fishery cooperative societies, with a total target of establishing two lakh such societies in the next five years across the country.

It will extend all necessary support in preparation and updation of National Cooperative Database.It will also prepare an action plan, in coordination with NABARD, NDDB, NFDB, NAFSCOB, NCDFI & FISHCOPED, to set up UT/ District level federations if not presently existent as per requirement and viability assessment.

The Committee has also been directed to assist in establishing linkages of existing and new primary cooperative societies with DCCBs/ StCBs and/ or their respective District and UT level Federations. It will ensure convergence of various schemes of Government of India at the level of PACS or dairy/ fishery primary cooperative societies to make them vibrant economic entities.

It will provide all necessary policy support for creation of infrastructure at the level of cooperative societies, including allotment of Government/ Gram Sabha land to PACS. To extend all necessary support to District Cooperative Development Committee (DCDC) for implementation of the plan at the grassroots level. To monitor the progress of implementation of the action plan at the UT level. Any other related matter(s).

Similarly the District Level Cooperative Development Committee will be chaired by Deputy Commissioner; where as Additional District Development Commissioner; Assistant Commissioner, Panchayat; Assistant Commissioner, Revenue; Chief Agriculture Officer; Chief Animal Husbandry Officer; District Sheep Husbandry Officer; Assistant Director, Fisheries; Assistant Director/District Officer, Handloom.; Assistant Director/District Officer, Handicraft; Assistant Executive Officer/District Officer, KVIB; Area Marketing Officer/District Officer, Horticulture (Planning & Marketing); Managing Director DCCB/ StCB; District Lead Bank Manager; District Development Manager, NABARD; Representative of National Dairy Development Board (NDDB); Representative of National Fisheries Development Board (NFDB); Representative of J&K Dairy/Fisheries Cooperative Federation and Any other Co-opted member will be the members of the Committee. Also, Deputy Registrar Cooperative Societies will function as Convener of the Committee.

As per the order, the Committee has been directed to ensure regular and timely up-dation of National Cooperative Database; to prepare the District Plan for setting up of new multipurpose PACS or primary dairy/ fishery cooperative societies on the basis of the gap analysis from National Cooperative Database; to ensure that all the Panchayats/ villages in the district are covered by multipurpose PACS or primary dairy/ fishery cooperative societies, as the case may be; to establish linkages of existing and new primary cooperative societies with DCCBs/ StCBs and/ or their respective District/ Block level Federations, if any, with the support of UT Government and other stakeholders concerned.

If District/ Block level Federations are not existent, then linkages may be established with the Federations present in nearby District/ Block; to facilitate setting up of District level federations, if not presently existent, as per requirement and viability assessment, in coordination with UT Government and stakeholders concerned; to facilitate registration of new primary cooperative societies with the support of Registrar of Cooperative Societies.

It has been further directed to ensure dovetailing of various schemes of Government of India at the level of PACS or primary dairy/ fishery cooperative societies with the support of Registrar of Cooperative Societies; to provide all necessary infrastructure and logistical support to primary cooperative societies at the Panchayats/ village level, including allotment of Government/ Gram Sabha land to PACS; to coordinate with all stakeholders concerned and provide all necessary support for ensuring implementation of the plan at the ground leve; and any other related matters.

It is further ordered that Neerupal Yadav, Deputy Director (SA&O), nominated by Ware House Development Regulatory Authority of India shall also be a member of District Level Cooperative Development Committee in respect of District Kathua. Besides, Deputy Registrar, Command Area Development, Jammu and Kathua shall also be the members of District Level Cooperative Development Committee for district Jammu and Kathua.

The Cooperative Department shall be the Nodal Department for coordinating the overall implementation of the said plan.