DIMAPUR, MAY 31 (MExN): Vizheto stood up from his chair this morning and outspokenly raised four points in the presence of Minister for Planning and Cooperation Dr Shürhozelie and others. The participant, a member of a cooperative society, had come to attend the inaugural function of the farmers’ meet 2006 at the conference hall of the Nagaland State Cooperative Bank (NSCB), conducted at its headquarters in Dimapur.
Taking the microphone in his hands when participants were given time to speak, he remarked that the cooperative bank’s interest rate of 10% was a trifle too high. Another comment he made was that villagers were still not aware of what exactly ‘The Year of the Farmer’ was all about and that they were expecting benefits from the government.
His list included the request to make the countersigning process for societies easier and that examinations should be made to scrutinize which societies were genuinely undertaking their work. The boldest statement he made was that ‘schemes’ are usually diverted to relatives of politicians and bureaucrats.
Nagaland Finance Commissioner and Chairman of the bank, H K Khulu, promptly replied to the points raised. The interest rate is the lowest as fixed by the Reserve Bank of India but the government would explore possible ways, he replied. The countersigning procedure will be examined and an exhibition to ascertain which societies are performing would be studied, the Commissioner said. On the topic of ‘big shots’ siphoning off schemes, Khulu requested that such an allegation should not be made on a general scale. He asked the questioner to pinpoint specific cases with evidence instead.
Planning and Cooperation Minister Dr Shürhozelie added that the declaration of “Year of the Farmer” was meant for cultivators to realize “how to help ourselves and how to learn” to tap into produces. This is why the government is organizing workshops and seminars for farmers across the state, he said. He lamented that in the past farmers looked forward only on how to gain subsidies instead of focusing on optimizing production.
Earlier in his speech, he declared that the Nagaland Government has enhanced and approved State Government Guarantee from Rs 5 crores to Rs 15 crores in favour of the Nagaland State Cooperative Bank.
“The grass root level societies in the State suffer from structural weaknesses such as viability, untrained staff, lack of participation/commitment, democratic management, inadequate business, dearth of committed cooperative leadership,” he said. Urging loan takers to contribute in the process of recycling funds by repaying on time, the Minister informed that the national average of credit deposit ratio is 60% whereas in Nagaland it is only 23.29%. Parliamentary Secretary R Khing spoke along the same lines.
Guinness Book record holder Pastor Melhite Kenye was felicitated for discovery of the largest giant paddy in the world. He achieved this feat in 1998. Participants in today’s programme held under the theme ‘NSCB for Doubling of Agriculture Credit’ were encouraged to collect seeds from Kenye.
