Port Blair, Nov 21: The valedictory function of the ongoing 63rd All India Cooperative Week Celebration-2016 was held on 20th Nov, 2016 at Ambedkar Auditorium, Port Blair. Shri. Ramesh Verma, IAS, Secretary (Cooperation)-cum-RCS, A & N Administration was the Chief Guest on the occasion while Shri. Hament Bhaskar Songadkar, General Manager, NABARD, Port Blair was the Guest of Honour. The programme was also attended by Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Chairman, A & N State Coop. Union, Shri. S Raju, DRCS (HQ), Smt. Shanta Laxman Singh & Smt. Ratnakannan, Ex-Chairperson, Social Welfare Board, Board of Director of A & N State Coop. Union, Board of Directors of A & N State Coop. Bank, Shri. Ravinder Rao, Managing Director, A & N State Coop. Bank, Senior Cooperators, Representatives of various Cooperative Department, Apex Level Cooperative Societies, Cooperators, SHG members and a large gathering of people.
The programme commenced with bouquet presentation and lamp lightening.
Welcoming all the delegates, Shri. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Chairman, A & N State Coop. Union informed that today is the valedictory function of the ongoing week long 63rd All India Cooperative Week celebration. He expressed his wholehearted welcome to the Chief Guest and all dignitaries present on the occasion. He further informed that National Cooperative Union of India, New Delhi undertakes 7 different topics for 7 days week long function based on the current topics prevailing in the Country. He expressed his gratitude to Shri Ramesh Verma, IAS, Secretary (Coop)-cum-RCS and the entire team of RCS Dept. for their support in organising this programme. He further added that Essay competition, Elocution competition, Folk Dance Competition were organised for school students, which has received marvellous participation. He further added that employment is major challenge in A & N Islands which can be solved by Cooperative sectors only. He further added that once the undersea cable is completed, there is tremendous scope for IT sector. He also opined that there is tremendous scope in Tourism and Fisheries sector. At the end, he appreciated Shri Naresh Chander Lall, Padmashree awardee for his remarkable contribution towards Theatre and Cinema.
Shri Abdul Rasheed, ARCS (HQ) spoke on the topic of “Good Governance, values and leadership through Cooperatives”. He highlighted the various schemes of cooperative dept. and requested the people to learn good governance through motivational values and skills. He further requested Shri Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Chairman, A & N State Cooperative Union to conduct short term courses for PACS for 1 or 2 days instead of long duration. He further informed that Transparency in General Body of Cooperative Management shall have clear Vision and Mission, policies and techniques to manage the Cooperative Membership.
The Guest of Honour Shri. Hament Bhaskar Songadkar, General Manager, NABARD in his key note address appreciated and expressed his whole hearted thanks to A & N State Coop. Union in inviting him as the Guest of Honour on the 7th day of the 63rd All India Cooperative Week Celebration. He informed that the main motive of NABARD is “Reaching to the unreached in time bound manner at an affordable rate”. He further informed that A & N State Coop. Bank is rendering its banking services through its 41 Core Banking branches across the Island, which is one of the greatest achievements. He also informed that NABARD has set up PACS Development Cell in Cooperative Bank to strengthen the Cooperative structure. At the end, he conveyed his best wishes to A & N State Coop. Union, Coop. Bank and all other Cooperative Institutions for 63rd All India Cooperative Week Celebrations-2016. He further added that NABARD is providing capacity building training for strengthening the cooperative sector of Andaman & Nicobar Islands. He further informed that NABARD has lined up Exposure Visit to the PACS of Kerala for the Primary Agriculture Societies of A & N Islands.
The Padmashree awardee Shri. Naresh Chander Lall welcomed all the delegates on the valedictory function of the 63rd All India Cooperative Week Celebration-2016. He further requested and urged all the people present on the occasion to come forward and form Cooperative societies for Arts & Culture for their livelihood and Supplier of Various musical instruments in Andamans. He also requested the Coop. Societies to involve themselves in film production. He also quoted the achievements made by A & N State Coop. Bank since its inception in the year 1966.
Shri. Ravinder Rao, Managing Director, A & N State Coop. Bank also spoke on the scope of cultural activites through Cooperative. Cooperatives may take a part in development of socio-economic life of people of A&N Islands. He also highlighted benefits of Co-operation which is the human nature; he further added the achievement of A&N State Cooperative Bank by providing Banking facilities through its wide network and services to the Islands. He further cited the example of technological advancement in A&N State Cooperative Bank Ltd, which renders banking services through its 41 branches in core banking mode. The ATM cards issued by the A&N State Coop. Bank is accessible across the country, similarly the ATM cards of the other bank are also accessible in the ATMs of A&N State Coop. Bank. Such proposal like mobile banking and internet banking will also provide shortly. On the occasion he also added “Financial Inclusion through Cooperatives”. He briefly explained the benefits of Bank account and the initiate of Govt. of India in PMJDY (Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana) and he appealed to the general public to maximum enrolment under Atal Pension Yojna for the benefits of their retired life. He further urged all the people to come forward and join hands with the Cooperative movement and open their bank accounts. He also added that the Cooperative Bank had set up Financial Literacy Centres (FLCs) at various places in collaboration with NABARD for promoting the messages of financial inclusion.
Shri Ramesh Verma, IAS, Secretary (Cooperation)-cum-RCS and Shri. Hament Bhaskar Songadkar, GM, NABARD distributed the Prizes to the winners who have participated in various programmes like Essay writing, Elocution and Folk Dance competition. A total of 7 Societies have been awarded Best Prize with Trophies and Certificates under different categories.
The Chief Guest Shri Ramesh Verma, IAS, Secretary (Cooperation)-cum-RCS in his key note address added that it is a matter of pride that Cooperative Institutions have reached to the remotest corner of the Island and has been serving people since Independence. He informed that there are limited scopes for Govt. Jobs and hence all the youths are advised to get themselves trained in various courses which are run by A & N State Coop. Union, ITI and various other organisations on Tailoring, Computer Courses, Embroidery, etc. At the end he urged all the people to come forward and make Coop. Societies and thereby excel in various field. He has urged and requested all the people present on the occasion to come forward and join various sectors like Tourism, Fisheries, IT Sector, etc. He further added that all skill based programmes should be linked with the motive of not just enrolment but also actual work. He also opined that with the support of Cooperative dept, Bank, Coop. Union and various other Coop. Institutions, people can gain knowledge, training and improve their socio-economic conditions.
Shri. K Murugan, Chief General Manager, A & N State Coop. Bank conveyed his vote of thanks to the Chief Guest, Guest of Honour, Representatives of various Cooperative Department, Apex Level Cooperative Societies, Cooperators, Media persons, Villagers, SHG groups and a large gathering of people.
