MARGAO
Cooperation Minister Govind Gaude on Tuesday mulled amendment to the Cooperative Act to bring in strict laws to safeguard the interest of depositors and to strengthen the cooperative movement in the State.
Gaude said that the forthcoming session of the Goa Legislative Assembly will see a host of amendments to the Cooperative Societies Act to keep pace with the changing times and protect the interests of depositors.
He has warned that those who have opened cooperative societies for their selfish gains will be brought under the scanner to ensure the safety of depositors.
Speaking at a programme arranged as part of the National Cooperative Week 2020 organised by the Assistant Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Margao, in collaboration with the National Co-operative Union of India and the Goa State Cooperative Union, the minister said the proposed amendments will take care of even transfer of properties by the Board of Directors, employment of staff related to the directors by blood etc.
“There are many directors heading cooperative banks and societies who have worked selflessly to serve the common man and take the cooperative movement forward. But instances are also galore that some of the directors have misused their positions and worked contrary to the aims and objectives of the cooperative moment,” he said, warning that proposed amendments will take care of such vested interests.
The Minister further spoke his mind on the promotional avenues for the staff employed in the Cooperation Department, saying that promotions will be guided by performance and not by experience in the department.
“Ministers will come and go, but the staff employed in the department are required to play an important role and work with transparency. We are taking steps to ensure that the promotions in the department will be guided by performance and not by seniority. In this respect, periodic evaluation and examination will be conducted by the department before the promotions take place,” he added.
Asserting that some of the cooperative societies have brought bad name to the entire movement, Gaude said time has come to initiate stringent action and win back the confidence of the depositors.
“I will not shy away from taking action and bring the culprits to book in case of mismanagement of funds in certain societies. But we need time to gather evidence so that the culprits do not escape taking advantage of the loopholes,” he said while reassuring the depositors that he will not rest till the guilty responsible for the state of some of the societies are brought to book.
