New Delhi, Feb 10 (.) A meeting of office-bearers and members of Credit and Thrift Cooperative Societies of Delhi was held on Monday at the Delhi Secretariat chaired by Delhi Government’s Cooperation Minister Ravindra Indraj Singh, with a focus on strengthening the cooperative movement and addressing key operational challenges faced by cooperative institutions.
During the meeting, discussions were held on issues such as loan recovery, identification and action against defaulters, dual membership, administrative procedures, and enhancing the outreach of cooperative institutions among the general public.
Addressing the gathering, Singh said that cooperation is not merely an economic activity but a medium of social trust and collective participation. He stressed that preserving and strengthening the cooperative spirit requires active participation from all cooperative institutions.
He added that regular dialogue, transparency and collective decision-making are essential to make cooperatives people-centric, reliable and effective.
The Minister underlined that strict action would be taken against defaulters, irregular interest rate practices and cases of dual membership. He said uniform and clear rules would be implemented across all cooperative institutions to ensure fairness and accountability.
Emphasising ethical conduct, Singh said the spirit of honesty and a “gentleman’s commitment” must be reflected in the functioning of cooperatives to strengthen public trust in the system.
Members present at the meeting suggested that cooperative institutions should play a more proactive role in social welfare activities and called for improved coordination between the government and cooperatives.
Concurring with these views, Singh assured that the Cooperation Department would be made more participatory, responsive and accountable.
Responding to concerns raised by the institutions, the Minister assured timely action on key issues, including identification of dual membership, stringent action against defaulters, effective implementation of orders under Sections 52 and 71 of the Delhi State Cooperative Societies Act, expediting pending loan recovery cases, granting membership of the Delhi State Cooperative Bank to eligible institutions in a time-bound manner, and strengthening the recovery mechanism within the department.
Singh also announced that regular meetings between the department and the advisory board of cooperative institutions would be held every 15 days to ensure faster resolution of issues and sustained coordination.
He further informed that new cooperative initiatives, cooperative stores and employment-oriented models are being developed in Delhi, in which cooperative institutions will play a significant role.
These initiatives, he said, would strengthen cooperatives while ensuring affordable and quality services for the people of the capital.
Noting that several cooperative institutions in Delhi are over 50 years old, Singh said their continued functioning reflects the credibility and strength of the cooperative movement.
He added that while carrying forward this legacy, newly formed institutions must operate with transparency, discipline and integrity.
The Minister warned that any cooperative society found violating rules and regulations would face strict action as per law, asserting that transparency is non-negotiable in the cooperative sector and corruption or irregularities at any level would not be tolerated.
. PKJ KK