Strike of SSSP secretaries hits State agri loan scheme

The ambitious Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya agriculture loan scheme of Uttarakhand Government has got affected due to the strike of the Secretaries of the Cooperative societies ( Sadhan Samiti Sachiv Parishad, Uttarakhand). The Secretaries of 759 such societies are sitting at the protest site near Parade ground in provisional state capital from February 19.

These societies which are working at the level of Nyaya Panchayat disburse agriculture loans, high yielding seeds, fertilizers and farm equipments to the farmers of the state. In addition to these activities these societies also double up as Mini Banks and provide banking facilities mostly in the areas where banks are yet to set up their branches. According to a rough estimate these mini banks have a turnover of about Rs 2000 crores. The strike of cooperative societies is also being supported by the accountants of these societies due to which all activities of these societies have been brought to a grinding halt.

The strike which got started last month is now starting to take its toll on rural economy. However the government loan scheme is bearing maximum brunt of the strike. With an aim to double the income of the farmers the Uttarakhand government started the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya scheme wherein a loan up to Rs 1 lakh is readily provided at an interest rate of only two percent.

Tajbar Singh Khatri of Agastyamuni said that he wanted to start a small unit for cutting stones for use in Kedarnath reconstruction but the loan he applied for  in the cooperative society have got stuck.

Surendra Prasad Goswami, secretary of Chandrapuri cooperative society, District Rudraprayag said “The farmers and the rural people are really troubled as sowing of Khariff crops is on but we have no choice but to fight for our rights.”

The secretaries of the societies are demanding that the State Government should ensure that their salaries are disbursed regularly. The salaries of these employees are disbursed from a cadre fund deposit of the societies. Their other demands are implementation of the provisions of seventh pay commission and parity with the grade pay with the supervisors. The accountants of these societies want promotional avenues and fixation of a minimum salary.

The President of the Sangharsh Samiti of the Society secretaries, Harsh Mani Nautiyal told The Pioneer that on assurance of the cooperative minister Dhan Singh Rawat a ten day strike was taken back in month of August. “A written understanding on our demands was reached at that time. We were forced to resume our strike as nothing happened in last seven months.  An estimated loss of Rs 700 crore has so far have occurred due to the strike but we are helpless and now are determined to take our agitation to a logical conclusion.’’