Berhampur: Many aspiring candidates have started making beeline for party tickets as poll bugle has been sounded for elections to the cooperative societies in Ganjam district, a report said.
This has raised the political temperature in Ganjam district which has the highest number of cooperative societies in the state.
The State Cooperative Election Commission has announced June 19 and 26 as the dates for first phase of elections during which 7,076 primary cooperative societies will go to polls.
In the first phase, elections will be held to primary cooperative societies while election to 132 central and 21 apex societies will be held in second and third phases respectively, dates for which will be announced later.
Meanwhile, the aspirants are making beeline before their respective party leaders to get tickets for the polls.
Elections to various cooperative bodies were held for the last time in 2015 and the five-year tenure of the elected representatives came to an end in 2020 following which the state government took the control of all primary and central cooperative bodies from May 2020.
Aska a cooperative hub
Aska got the nickname of ‘Samabaya Nagari’ (cooperative hub) due to presence of major cooperative bodies there. Its cooperative sugar mill and multi-purpose cooperative societies (MPCS) were name to reckon with all over the state.
The Aska Central Cooperative Bank Ltd had helped in financial growth of hundreds of farmers through agricultural loans.
The bank alone had provided over Rs 237 crore loans to the farmers for rabi crops in 2021-22 financial year.
The business of MPCS has declined but they have survived as they were having properties worth several crores. The state government has also taken steps for the growth of cooperative sugar industries.
As many as 257 primary agricultural cooperative societies in Ganjam and Gajapati districts are affiliated to Berhampur Central Cooperative Bank. The century-old bank has several national awards to its credit for quality service.
Elections to 448 PACSs under Aska and Berhampur Central Cooperative Banks will be held in June and elections to the banks, sugar industries and other cooperative bodies will be held in subsequent phases.
The business of Berhampur Central Cooperative Bank has declined and several posts in it are lying vacant after it came under government control.
The Berhampur regional business cooperative society has turned sick while the cooperative retail store has been closed down.
