Dr Kurien resigns from Chairmanship of IRMA

Mumbai, June 5 (UNI) Dr V Kurien, the father of India's white revolution and co-founder of India's milk cooperative, today announced his decision to resign from the chairmanship of Institute of Rural Management of Anand board of governors.

''I will be sending my resignation when the IRMA board meets on June eight,'' said Dr Kurien while talking to reporters here.

''There are some people who are restless to occupy the position I have held and waiting for my exit. I wish them well. But I hope they will not tinker with the fundamental principles on which the institution was built, nurtured and brought to its present stature,'' said the octogenarian pioneer of milk revolution, who was accompanied by his wife.

''I had resigned from the chairmanship of National Dairy Development Board in 1998 and recently, I resigned from the chairmanship of GCCMMF,'' he informed.

IRMA is the autonomous institution contributing to the professional management of rural organisations and was founded in 1979.

Expressing his displeasure over the present status of cooperatives, Dr Kurien said, ''Cooperatives are not cooperatives today. They are managed by registrar of cooperatives and by the farmers themselves.'' He said there are 900 management institutes for industrialists and only one for agriculture in India. Considering that India was an agrarian country, the number should have been vice versa, he added.

''The government must create institutions managed by farmers and not by the government, with no government interference,'' he observed.

Speaking about the present status of dairies in India, the 84-year-old said there were 176 dairies and there were 11 million cooperative farmers all over India.

''Dairy farming has become the single largest contributor to the agricultural economy of India, besides the largest rural employment provider,'' he added.

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