Wahengbam Angou, Minister Co-operation, visiting
bakery unit of a PACS at Malom
The co-operative movement in Manipur was started in the year
1935. Laikhuram Khagendrajit and his party started pressure for a consumer
co-operative society with fair price shops to ameliorate the problems of the
poor. The then Maharaja, Churachand Singh, put six people including
Khagendrajit under judicial custody for six months. After their release, the
Indian Co-operative Societies Act 1912 was introduced and extended in the state
and in1938 a co-operative bank was registered.
An interim council with seven members in cabinet rank was
constituted. Model byelaws drafted and societies like Merchants’ Co-operative Association,
Manipur Drivers’ Union, Manipur Agrarian Co-operative Society were established.
In 1950 the Assam Co-operative Societies Act 1949 was extended in the state. On
May 29, 1951 a big conference was held and resultantly Manipur Co-operative
Union was formed. In 1952 four advisers to the chief commissioner were
appointed and Krishnamohan was included as development and co-operative
in-charge. Afterwards the Manipur State Co-operative Bank, Manipur Apex
Co-operative Marketing Society Ltd, Apex Handloom etc. were established.
Sanjenbam Nodiachand was the first registrar of co-operative
societies. In 1976 Manipur Co-operative Societies Act was introduced. The
registrar and the officers under him were empowered to exercise the provisions
of the Act and Rules in organising, registering, supervising, inspecting and
auditing the co-operatives. Voluntary organisations for charity, sports,
science & technology, arts & culture, women & children and rural
development were registered under the Societies Registration Act 1860.
Agricultural credit, consumer, livestock, thrift & credit, pisciculture,
labour etc were some of the areas for which co-operatives were being worked
out.
Main emphasis was given on agricultural credits with
financial assistance from NABARD and NCDC. Agro-custom hiring service centres
have been opened by providing tractors, power tillers, pump- sets, fertilizers,
HYV seeds to member farmers. Godowns with attached tractor garages were
constructed for gram panchayat level primary agricultural credit co-operatives
(PACS). Integrated Co-operative Development Projects (ICDP) was started and
three districts have so far been covered by this. A co-operative training
college under the national council for co-operative training (NCCT) New Delhi
has been started at Lamphelpat for three states namely Manipur, Mizoram and
Nagaland. Intermediate level officers of co-operative department are being
trained here.
Wahengbam Angou, the minister for co-operation, was closely
associated with Manipur State Co-operative Union as its president. The
contributions of Thounaojam Chaoba, popularly known as Utlou Chaoba, towards
the movement are wide and galore. Persons like RK Irabot, Nimaimacha Singh are
popular figures in present day co-operative movement. The pace may be slow but
it is steady.
Konjengbam Kameshore
(Courtesy: North East Sun, July 31 – Aug 6, 1993)