Former MLA Vasu, Mandya’s Shambunahalli S. Guruswamy among 60 conferred with ‘Sahakara Ratna’ award

Bengaluru: Maintaining that milk production is a big activity in the State, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said that the Government will set up Ksheera Samvruddhi Banks at a cost of Rs. 300 crore as announced in the State  Budget.

He was speaking after conferring ‘Sahakara Ratna’ award to 60 distinguished Co-operators including late actor Puneeth Rajkumar (Appu),  former Mysuru Chamaraja Constituency MLA Vasu and Mandya’s Shambunahalli S. Guruswamy at the award conferment programme jointly organised by Karnataka Co-operative Federation, Karnataka Housing Co-operative Federation and Co-operation Department  at  Ganesh Maidan in Kengeri Satellite Town of Bengaluru on Sunday.

Pointing out that Ksheera Samvruddhi Bank will be set up in all taluks, Bommai said that the banks will have milk producers as members and lend loans to those engaged in dairy farming at low interest rates.

Continuing, Bommai said that Multi-purpose Co-operative Societies for Women with a Government share of 90 percent, will be set up in all taluks for the benefit of women.

Noting that people from backward classes, SC/ST and other marginalised communities should become members of co-operative societies in large numbers, he underlined the role of the working class and women in the success of Co-operative sector. The Government is working towards revolutionising the co-operative sector through creation of jobs, he added.

Stating that there is a demand for including co-operative education in school and college curriculum and as well as for utilising MLA funds for Co-operative sector activities, he said that the Government will consider the demands of the sector.

Co-operation Minister S.T. Somashekar in his address, said that 33 lakh farmers have been distributed Rs. 23,000 crore at zero interest rate in the current year. The Department has set aside Rs. 1,050 crore for providing an incentive of Rs. 5 per litre for milk producers.

Chamundeshwari MLA G.T. Devegowda, who is also the Karnataka Co-operative Federation Chairman, said that ‘Sahakara Ratna’ award that has been conferred posthumously on actor late Puneeth Rajkumar, will be presented to his wife Ashwini at the late actor’s residence at Bengaluru. Pointing out that as Ashwini expressed her inability to attend the programme for receiving the award bestowed on her husband, Devegowda said that the award will be presented to her.

The MLA later presented a memorandum containing a charter of demands of the Co-operative sector to the Chief Minister, which chiefly included introduction of Co-operative lessons in academic curriculum, exemption of stamp duty for Co-operative societies, depositing Government funds in District Co-operative Banks which are doing well and appointment of Co-operative diploma qualified candidates in Co-operative sector,  among others.

Former Union Minister D.V. Sadanandagowda, Ministers Araga Jnanendra, Govind Karjol, Bhyrathi Basavaraj, Dr. K. Sudhakar, K. Gopalaiah and Anand Singh, Co-operative Department Principal-Secretary Umashankar and a host of other officials were present.