Political interference slowly killing co-operative sector: Ramesh

Kochi, Apr 21 (UNI) Union Minister of State for Commerce Jairam Ramesh today asserted that political interference was slowly 'killing' the co-operative sector in the country.

Speaking at a ''Marketfed'' seminar on agriculture here, Mr Ramesh said co-operatives in the country were plagued by political interference as they were operated as 'feifdoms' of some political parties or families.

He said the sector should be allowed to function in a democratic, professional and autonomous way to extend the benefits to the common man.

He said the Centre after accepting the Vaidyanathan Commission's recommendations, appointed to study the revitalisation of co-operatives, decided to infuse Rs 19,000 crore in association with the state governments in the next seven to eight years to rejuvenate the credit co-operatives in the country.

He said the Centre had also taken up the restructuring of the handloom co-opertaives through NABARD and hoped that the initiative would also be extended to market co-operatives.

UNI