Puducherry: Kiran Bedi calls for better functioning of Cooperatives

Puducherry lieutenant governor Kiran Bedi on Saturday stressed upon improving the working of cooperative societies in the region.

"We need to urgently rethink our policy of posting senior government employees in running cooperative societies from the Department of Cooperatives or elsewhere.

Registrars are appointees who are supposed to audit and see the cooperatives and societies function appropriately according to rules and regulations...

How can they audit independently if they run the organisation themselves when they become MDs or Chairmen," she wrote in a message to Ashok Kumar, Secretary Cooperatives.

This statement from Bedi came just a day after Puducherry Agriculture Minister R Kamalakannan was forced to travel by a public bus from Karaikal to Puducherry to attend a Cabinet meeting on Friday after a petrol bunk refused to supply diesel for his car. The petrol station refused to supply diesel over alleged pending dues from the government departments.

Further talking about the incident, Bedi stated, "This latest fiasco when petrol was not given/ available for the car of an Honble Minister, why one such Cooperative is a consequence of this long-lasting malady. And it needs an urgent course correction with a sense of urgency."

She also directed the Secretary Cooperatives to submit a report within 15 days on the financial, administrative, and performance status of each cooperative followed by societies in order to stem the rot.