179 Co-operative societies in Himachal Pradesh will soon be unable to fine their existence as the State Co-operative department had found lapses in 311 co-operative societies on different grounds. Himachal Pradesh Co-operative Minister Karan Singh informed the State Assembly that 179 co-operative societies were on the verge of closure. Replying to a query raised by Krishan Lal Thakur of BJP, Karan Singh informed that there were 5097 registered co-operative societies in the State and out of which lapses had been found in 311 societies and they were declared defaulters.
Answering the issue of Rajpura Co-operative Society under Nalagarh sub-division, Karan Singh told that embezzlement of funds to the tune of 2.39 Crore had been found in the societies’ accounts and the department had ordered recovery of funds. The properties of the concerned had already been attached, added Karan Singh.
He said that the misappropriation of funds in the society was found in the accounts between 2004 to 2008 and a recovery of Rs 35.39 had already been made from Rajinder Singh, the former manager of the society. He said that the balance recovery would be made from the accused manager as his 46 bigha land had also been attached by the department.
Accusing government of overlooking affairs of co-operative societies, Rikhi Ram Kaundal alleged that a number of bogus co-operative societies were existing in state and government was disbursing heavy salaries to the secretaries of societies. He alleged that some societies were kept alive just to benefit their secretaries.
Kaundal also raised issue of meager salaries to the salesmen working in cooperative societies. On the issue of salary of salesmen, Karan Singh said that that co-operative societies work as per their own constitution and salaries of their salesmen were decided on the basis of financial health of the society and government could not interfere in this issue.
