Now cooperatives set to prosper due to Modi government’s reforms: Birla

NEW DELHI: Blaming erstwhile Congress-led UPA government for dismal performance of cooperatives, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said that there was a period when the cooperatives were marred by “corruption, mismanagement and politics” but time has changed now and the sector is poised to move towards prosperity due to reforms brought in by the Modi government.

Hoping that cooperatives will usher in “a new era of social and economic transformation” in the country, Birla said, “ PM Narendra Modi’s initiative of creating a separate ministry for cooperatives has brought in transparency and accountability in the system.”

“Cooperative is a very big sector but there was a period when in some or other way there was corruption, lack of proper management, stagnation in the system, politics… which was not good for the cooperatives,” Birla said while addressing the valedictory session of the 17th Indian Cooperative Congress on Sunday.

The reforms in the sector have addressed the issue of corruption, mismanagement and lack of transparency in the sector, he said, adding that the sector will help fulfil the dream of India becoming self-reliant and a developed country.