MARGAO
Underscoring the need to give a big boost to exports of organic farm products from the state, Minister for Cooperation Subhash Shirodkar on Friday said instructions have been issued to the officers to conduct surprise visits to the cooperative societies to check mismanagement.
Shirodkar, who also holds the Water Resources Department (WRD) portfolio, informed that the government has identified around 112 water bodies and tanks across the State for development under the central government scheme.
He was interacting with the media at the programme held to mark the shifting of the office of Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Margao into the new premises at the WRD building in the PWD Complex, Fatorda.
Conceding that many a cooperative society has been hit by mismanagement, the Minister said that strict instructions have been issued to the officials to conduct surprise visits to the societies once every six months to keep a check on the functioning.
“The Cooperative sector will receive a big boost in the coming days. We will lay stress on the export of organic farm products. This will be the priority from the department in the coming days,” he said.
Shirodkar said the shifting of the office to the new premises will help the people since the new premises is spacious and will meet the requirements of the citizens. “The Registrar of Cooperative Societies has been functioning from rented premises at the Gomant Vidya Niketan all these years. The space was not sufficient to cater to the growing requirements. Hence, the office has been finally shifted to the new premise,” he said.
On the central government scheme to develop around 75 water bodies and tanks in each of the districts in the country, the WRD Minister said the Goa government has identified around 112 such water bodies across the state, adding that work has already started at some of the water bodies.
He said the Cooperation department is contemplating building a Cooperation Bhavan at a WRD land available in the Mandopa area of Navelim in the future.
