Minister for Co-operation K.N. Rajanna has assured to initiate steps necessary to address woes plaguing the rural co-operatives in Karnataka.
Participating in the centenary celebrations of the Graduates Co-operative Bank in Mysuru on Sunday, July 9, Mr. Rajanna said there was a need to pay increased attention to resolve the problems plaguing the co-operatives in the rural areas.
Soon after the process of establishing primary agricultural credit societies in all the gram panchayats is completed by December this year, the government will embark upon the exercise of understanding the problems of the rural co-operatives and take necessary steps to address them, he said.
The rural co-operative institutions will be made useful to every villager, he said.
Minister for Social Welfare H.C. Mahadevappa, who is also the Minister in charge of Mysuru district, described Karnataka as the “cradle” of the country’s co-operative movement in the country that espoused the ideals of personalities like Dr. B.R. Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and Amartya Sen.
The co-operative banks had also helped remove inequalities in the society while strengthening the country’s economy.
He said the Graduates’ Co-operative Bank in Mysuru, which had been founded by Prof. S.N. Subba Rao in 1923, had a special place in the co-operative field.
The bank, which was initially established to serve graduates, including engineers and doctors, had witnessed tremendous growth by adopting technology and moving with the times, he said.
A.H. Vishwanath, Former Minister and present MLC; Marithibbegowda and D. Thimmaiah, MLCs; T.S. Srivatsa, MLA; Mayor Shivakumar, bank president N. Srinivas and others were also present on the occasion.
