Senior Co-operators honoured with ‘Sahakara Ratna’ Award

Mysuru: Legislative Council Chairman Basavaraj Horatti said that there should be no Government or political interference in the working of Co-operative Societies.

He was speaking after honouring senior Co-operators at the 99th Annual General Body Meeting (AGM) of Sri Krishnarajendra (KR) Co-operative Bank at Maharaja’s College Centenary Hall here on Sunday.

Pointing out that debates and discussions were held in the State Assembly and Council in this regard, Horatti said that the Government did not allow political interference.

Noting that many Co-operative Societies have grown into Banks over the years, he opined that the Co-op. Banks have been helping their members by advancing them loans at lesser interest rates, during their hour of need.

Stating that a Co-operative Institution cannot grow with the help and support of just one individual, he observed that the Co-operative Societies can grow only through mutual co-operation, trust and understanding.

Hunsur MLA G.D. Harish Gowda, in his address, said that many Co-operative Societies have shut down due to irregularities and lapses. But the city’s Krishnarajendra Bank has been functioning successfully for the past 99 years which is a big achievement. Co-operative Societies can see success only if everything goes right and in a correct manner.

The elections to Co-operative Societies, which used to generally take place silently earlier, are making a big noise these days, he said adding that the Co-operative elections today seem to outdo even Assembly and Parliamentary polls.

Stating that the KR Bank, which currently has 9,088 members, has advanced Rs. 43 crore loans at 8 percent annual Interest, he stressed on the need for every member to have a sense of feeling that the Bank is theirs.

He further said that the AGM would be more successful only if all the members take part,                 Harish Gowda added.

Kundur Mutt Seer Sri Sharathchandra Swamiji too spoke.

Senior Co-operators K.V. Narasimha Shetty, B. Puttaswamy, S.B. Vijayakumar, S. Sadananda, M.K. Puttaswamy, Siddaraju, P.C. Nagarajan, K.L. Anantharamaiah, N. Nagaraju, D. Ramu, G. Krishna, K. Chandra, Channaiah, Balaamba, Kathyayini, N. Jayalakshmi, K.R. Seethalakshmi, Susheelamma, D. Asha Kumari and K.S. Sunanda were conferred ‘Sahakara Ratna’ Award.

Bank President Pratidhwani Prasad, Vice-President D. Basavaraju, Directors M.D. Parthasarathy, K.G. Shankarnarayana Shastri, N. Siddappa, H.N. Sarvamangala, B. Nagaraj, Naveen Kumar, H.V. Bhaskar, M.S. Arun Siddappa & P.M. Nagendra Prasad were present.