J&K Cooperatives

Record number of Cooperatives registered.

During 2002-03 to 2006-07, a rcord number of 1329 new Cooperatives registered all over the State, particularly in poultry, dairy, and specialized areas like Engineers Cooperative, Floriculture Cooperative, Women Empowerment, etc. The Cooperatives have a membership of 24,000 individuals. This includes formation of Agriculture Graduates and Engineering cooperatives as well.

Year-wise / Discipline-wise registration of Cooperatives under J&K Slf-reliant Act 1999.

Year	Agriculture	Housing	Poultry	Dairy	Floriculture	Others	Total
2001-02	14	9	1	1	-	21	46
2002-03	32	2	1	1	2	40	78
2003-04	92	11	290	77	4	50	524
2004-05	63	7	106	108	2	37	323
2005-06	134	15	8	104	4	21	286
2006-07	36	6	4	20	-	6	72
Total	371	50	410	311	12	175	1329

Poultry

410 Poultry Cooperatives registered, involving a membership of more than 8000 individuals. The Cooperatives are visualized to provide employment to the rural population besides the production of Poultry birds locally.

Out of the above number, more than 69 Poultry Cooperatives have taken off with rearing capacity of 14.70 Lac birds per annum.

To facilitate the working of Poultry Cooperatives, NCDC funding has also been arranged. 56 projects were sent to the NCDC in the first phase out of which at first 8 and later one more project were sanctioned. Subsequntly, 51 more projects have been sent to the NCDC for funding. Under the scheme, the investment/stake of the beneficiary Cooperative is only 5%. These 107 projects in total have a rearing capacity of 50 lac birds per year with the total project cost of around Rs. 37 Cr.

Dairy

J&K Milk Producers Cooperative Ltd. (JKMPCL) registered with the collaboration of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation(GCMMF). Milk Plants of Cheshmashahi and Satwari made operational by AMUL. Both the plants have been remodeled and each having a milk processing capacity of 25,000 ltrs per day. The daily processing of milk is 15,000 ltrs in the Milk plant at Chashmeshahi and 10,000 ltrs at Milk plant at Satwari from 296 Village level Milk Cooperatives spread across the State. The milk is being marketed under the brand name 'Snow Cap' which has become a household name.

During Snow disaster last year, supplies of 10,000 Ltrs of milk per day were maintained by the JKMPCL from 22^nd February, 2005, at Srinagar till the normal life was partially restored. Besides, airlifting of over 9 tons of powder milk was done in collaboration with the Indian AirForce. Similarly, milk was also sent to Uri and Tangdhar during the earth quake in the second week of October 2005.

Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) - Focus on Doubling of Agriculture Credit.

After a gap of more than 15 years, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies have been made eligible for financing. Out of 560 such Cooperatives, 184 have been revived to the extent of financing their members. The credit business during the year 2004-05 has touched Rs. 11.00 Cr. while during the year 2005-06 the business reached 13.00 Cr.

Cooperative Banks

The deposits and advances of Cooperative Banks have also witnessed a growth of 4.22% and 7.36%, respectively.Total deposits received by Cooperative Banks from different sources were Rs 1206.03 cr. in 2003-04 which increased to Rs 1255.03 cr. in 2004-05 and 1341.20 Cr. in 2005-06 and Similarly, the Loans & Advances made by these banks were Rs 462.22 cr. in 2003-04 which increased to Rs 496.23 Cr. in 2004-05 and 510.26 Cr in 2005-06.

Cooperative Banks have earned the distinction of taking a lead over all other Nationalized and Private Banks in distribution of Kissan Credit Cards (KCCs) in J&K State. As on 31-03-2005, 41617 KCCs worth Rs. 56.79 Cr. have been issued with Baramulla Central Cooperative Bank having issued KCCs worth Rs 23.30 Cr while Jammu Central Cooperative Bank has issued KCCs worth Rs 18.30 Cr.

In spite of their financial constraints, the Cooperative Banks have attempted to remain apace with other Nationalised Banks in matters of computerisation of their working and in providing ATM facilities. One ATM

has been installed by the Jammu Central Cooperative Bank in its Parade Branch which has received wide public appreciation.

All Urban Cooperative Banks working in profit and State Cooperative Bank has been able to register profit after wiping out all its accumulated losses.

To facilitate non-willful defaulters, One Time Settlement (OTS) Scheme was allowed to remain operative and an amount of Rs. 10.82 Cr. in 340 cases recovered from such defaulters, under the Scheme. This policy has improved the prospects of the banks by improving their recoveries.

Cooperative banks are providing employment (with decent salaries compared with the commercial banks) to around 2000 people through the network of 197 branches.

Legal Reforms and Arbitrations

J&K Self Reliant Cooperatives Act of 1999 amended in order to pave way for Govt. funding to Dairy and Poultry Cooperatives. Besides, Cooperatives in fields other than dairy and poultry can also enter into an memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State Govt. for availing financial assistance. About 58 cases including some of the long pending disputes/ Arbitration matters were decided by the Court of Registrar Cooperatives.

Integrated Cooperative Development Project (ICDP)

Integrated Cooperative Development Projects for District Anantnag and Kathua sanctioned by NCDC. These projects are aimed at superior economic development of the region and employment generation through cooperatives. Both the Projects have taken off. The Project cost of ICDP Anantnag & Katuha is Rs. 10.48 Cr. and Rs.8.87 respectively.

Women Credit Cooperatives

Two women Credit Cooperatives, one each for Jammu and Kashmir divisions, are shortly being registered. The two credit cooperatives have enrolled 875 women members and have mobilized individual share capital of about Rs 8.75 lac.

Housing Cooperatives

In recognition of the excellent work being done by the Building Material, Centre Sidhra of J&K Housing Corporation has been awarded as best working Cooperative building Centre from the north Zone at the 14^th National Congress of the Housing Cooperatives held recently at New Delhi.

J&K Cooperative Housing Corporation and its affliates have developed17 modern housing colonies in the State.

Other important Achievements

Marketing Societies have done business to the tune of Rs. 60 Cr. in fertilizer.

One Time Settlement Scheme with National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) implemented after the State remained in default for about 14 years. This has paved way for fresh funding by the NCDC of Rs 19 Cr for the two ICDP projects and Rs 4.12 Cr for Poultry projects.

Two units, for Solar Drying of apricots under hygienic conditions, in Leh and Kargil have been set up with financial assistance under macromanagement scheme.

Modern printing facilities have been installed in the Cooperative offset printing press at Srinagar.

The Cooperative Movement has been playing a vital role in the economy of the State. This sector has performed significant role in distribution of essential consumer commodities, fertilizers, loans to farmers. It acts as an effective instrument for social upliftment, price stabilization, consumer protection and public distribution system, Marketing of surplus produce ect.

In recent years, the State Govt. has focused on newer areas, like Poultry , Dairy etc. The Department of Cooperatives has taken various initiatives in tapping the potential of such economic activities. Besides pursuing newer economic activities, the Department has been centric on the Revival of old generation Cooperatives particularly Primary Agriculture Credit Cooperative Societies. The initiatives have resulted into some important achievements which are as under:

Development of commercial Poultry under Cooperative Sector:
During the year 2006-07, 46 Poultry Cooperative Societies have been registered, aggregating the total number of such Cooperative Societies to 425, registered from 2003 onwards.

During the year 2006-07, 36 Poultry Cooperative Societies initiated rearing on their own with out any financial support from the Govt. The number of functional Poultry Cooperative Societies has risen to 110 as compared to 74 during the last year.

Poultry Cooperative Societies handled a record business of Rs. 5.50 Crs during the last 8 months of the current fiscal.

The rearing capacity of the Poultry Cooperative Societies all over the State has risen to more than 6 lac birds per cycle. The capacity has been raised by the Cooperative Societies on their own.

An amount of Rs. 23.00 lacs was released to 7 Poultry Cooperative Societies during the current year, selected under NCDC funding. The total financial assistance released aggregates to Rs. 48.00 lacs. Release of rest amount of Rs. 50.00 lacs on the anvil.

Dairy Cooperative Societies:
The State Govt. with the active technical and financial support of Gujrat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation has decided to replicate the Anand Model in the State. As a sequel to the above decision a record number of Dairy Cooperative Societies numbering 310 have been registered during the last 3 years. Out of the above number 76 Dairy Cooperative Societies have been registered during the current financial year. The Jammu and Kashmir Milk Producers Cooperative Federation (JKMPCL) , the umbrella organization has been coordinating and facilitating the working of Primary Dairy Cooperative Societies all over the State. The daily processing capacity of the two milk plants at Satswari, Jammu and Cheshmashahi, Srinagar has risen to about 50 lac liters per day.

The milk marketed by the JKMPCL , under brand name “Snow Cap” has become a House Hold name all over the State. Pursuing of Dairy as an economic activity has become remunerative for the milk producers.

Integrated Cooperative Development Project (ICDP):
Under integrated Cooperative Development Scheme of NCDC two Districts of the State viz Anantnag and Kathua have already been covered with a Project cost of Rs. 20.00 Crs. Under the project the available potential is tapped locally for commercial benefit of the members. An amount of Rs. 51.30 lacs has been released to the two projects so far.

Three more districts viz Doda, Baramulla and Leh are also being covered under ICDP Shortly.

Revival of PACS:
Cooperative Institutions have been the main source of Micro Finance to the Farming Community. However, the Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies at the grass root had almost struck working. The Department initiated the process of Revival since 2003. The initiative has been paying dividends. During the 8 months of the current financial year 42 PACS have been revived thus aggregating the number of revived PACS to 210. The PACS disbursed an amount of Rs. 4.50 Crs as laon to the members during the current year.

Cooperative Banks:
The accumulated profits of State Cooperative Bank have reached to Rs. 15.00 Crs, while all the 4 Urban Cooperative Banks are running in profit. The Anantnag Urban Cooperative Bank has been graded as A Class Bank by RBI. The incidence of NPAs in the Banks has been registering a down ward trend.

Deposits:
The deposits portfolio of the Banks has risen to 1341.120 lacs as compared to 1255.00 lacs during the last year.

Kissan Credit Cards(KCCs)
The Cooperative Banks have been instrumental in the disbursement of loans to the farming community under KCCs. During the year 5734 KCCs have been distributed among the members. An amount of Rs. 657.14 lacs has been distributed as loan against KCCs.

Recoveries:
Due to coordinated efforts the recovery portfolio of the Cooperative Banks has registered remarkable increase. During the current year the Cooperative Banks have recovered Rs. 165.37 Crs as compared to Rs. 144.60 Crs during the corresponding period.

One Time Settlement Scheme(OTS):
The scope of OTS Scheme has been extended beyond the cut of date to facilitate non-willful defaulters to clear their outstanding. An amount of Rs. 2.10 Crs has been recovered by the Banks under the Scheme.

Distribution of Agriculture Inputs:
The Cooperative Institutions have been the main source of distribution of Agriculture inputs among farming community. The role of Cooperative Institutions in the distribution of fertilizer during the current year has resin to 77% as compared to 65% of the total requirements during the last year.

Diversification of Activities:
The old generation Cooperatives with available infrastructure have been exhorted to switch over to newer economic activities like Floriculture, Apiculture and Sheep breading. In the first instance flowers of different kinds are being cultivated at Khoverpora, Anantnag in Kashmir Division, besides Udheywalla, Akhnoor and R.S. Pora in Jammu Division. Likewise the Cooperative Societies have also gone for sheep raring which has proved very remunerative.

Modernization and Professionalization:
The Department has been focusing on modernizing the working of Cooperative Institutions. The Institutions particularly such which handle disbursement of credit to their members have been advised to adopt new techniques in Banking. The JCC Bank has become the 1st Bank in country to introduce SMS Banking whereby a depositor can enquire about the balance through SMS.

The Painbreng Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society in Block Breng of District Anantnag, having excelled in Credit Business is in the process of computarsing its entire records under the technical and moral support of Nelito, a Tata Gruup.

Women Credit Cooperative:
The two Women Credit Cooperatives one each in Kashmir and in Jammu will be functional shortly. The Cooperatives are visualized to graduate as Women Banks, manned and managed by the Women folk on their own.