IMPHAL, June 10: The All Manipur GP Level Large Area Multi-Purpose Societies (LAMPS), Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS) development Association and All Manipur Handloom and Handicraft Co-operative society today staged a sit in protest at the Keishampat Lairembi Community Hall against the state Co-operative and Social Welfare Minister Ak Mirabai demanding among other things, the Minister’s resignation.
Speaking to media persons, spokesperson, O Rajkumar said the Minister had recently ignored representatives of the two associations during a visit to discuss issues relating to the release of central sponsored funds which has been withheld by the state government.
The sit-in-protest also demanded the revival of short term co-operative credit structure in the state.
Several placards regarding the demands of the bodies were carried during the protest.
Some of the play cards read, “Don’t waste the Rs 47 crore from the centre”, “resign CM”, “Co-operative Minister should resign immediately”,etc.
The spokesperson said that the two bodies had already submitted a memorandum to the state CM on December 11, 2012 highlighting the problems faced by the primary co-operative societies in the state and demanding implementation of short term co-operative societies (STCCS) under revival package in the state and to release the 90% central share of the re-capitalisation amount.
He continued that a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on June 30, 2008 between the central government and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development – (NABARD) to implement STCCS in Manipur under the revival package a sum of Rs 47.26 crore for re-capitalisation and restructure of 208 PACS and MSCB Ltd was sanctioned.
As the implementation period has lapsed, the state government has sought time for extension period so as to enable the implementation of the Co-operative Credit Structure (CCS) but even after the extension period has been provided, the state government has not released the fund yet.
He demanded the state government to take action and release the fund already sanctioned by the Centre and to appoint a new CEO of the Manipur State Cooperative Bank at the earliest.
He further said that if the said demand is not provided the two bodies will go on different forms of agitations like band and blockade along the national highways.