AgenciesNationalist Congress Party leader Sharad Pawar said on Sunday that the cooperative sector comes under the state list and that it is the states’ prerogative to make laws for the sector, hinting at the potential tussle ahead between the Centre and the states over the formation of the new Union cooperation ministry under Amit Shah.
“It is the state government’s responsibility to make laws for cooperatives in the state. All cooperative societies in the state are governed by laws that are passed by the legislative assembly. The Centre has no powers to interfere in the laws made by the legislative assembly of the state,” Pawar said in Baramati.
However, he added: “I don’t think there is any truth that the Centre is encroaching on the powers of the state.”
The NCP chief said since the Constitution had demarcated the roles of the Centre and the state clearly, there was no basis for any fear. “The Centre’s role is restricted to multi-state cooperative banks,” he said. Pawar’s comments come in the backdrop of concerns raised after the creation of the new cooperation ministry.
On Friday last week, deputy CM Ajit Pawar had expressed concerns over the formation of the cooperation ministry. “The intention of the central government is not yet clear, they have something on their minds. It will be clear after they introduce legislation for the sector,” he had said, maintaining that the cooperative sector comes under the state and is governed by the state’s laws and that the Centre should not encroach on them.
The NCP and Congress are concerned about the cooperation ministry as most of the cooperatives in the state are controlled by leaders from the two parties. The dairy and sugar cooperatives are not just a big element in the rural economy but also help parties like the NCP come to power.
“It is the state government’s responsibility to make laws for cooperatives in the state. All cooperative societies in the state are governed by laws that are passed by the legislative assembly. The Centre has no powers to interfere in the laws made by the legislative assembly of the state,” Pawar said in Baramati.
However, he added: “I don’t think there is any truth that the Centre is encroaching on the powers of the state.”
The NCP chief said since the Constitution had demarcated the roles of the Centre and the state clearly, there was no basis for any fear. “The Centre’s role is restricted to multi-state cooperative banks,” he said. Pawar’s comments come in the backdrop of concerns raised after the creation of the new cooperation ministry.
On Friday last week, deputy CM Ajit Pawar had expressed concerns over the formation of the cooperation ministry. “The intention of the central government is not yet clear, they have something on their minds. It will be clear after they introduce legislation for the sector,” he had said, maintaining that the cooperative sector comes under the state and is governed by the state’s laws and that the Centre should not encroach on them.
The NCP and Congress are concerned about the cooperation ministry as most of the cooperatives in the state are controlled by leaders from the two parties. The dairy and sugar cooperatives are not just a big element in the rural economy but also help parties like the NCP come to power.
( Originally published on Jul 11, 2021 )
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