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AGRICULTURE AND IRRIGATION
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CO-OPERATIVE FARMING
Factors like increasing pressure of population on land,
inequitable distribution of land, uneconomic size of holding, evil of acute fragmentation and sub-division of land, low productivity of the soil, Traditional methods of cultivation, illiteracy of the farmers, meagre financial resources of the cultivators, etc., prove to be stumbling blocks in the implementation of plans for a progressive agricultural economy. Against this background, the 64th Session of the Indian National Congress held at Nagpur in 1958 pledged its overwhelming support to the adoption of 'Cooperative Farming '. Co-operative Farming implies pooling together of small plots of land and their joint management. When the cultivator becomes a member of the co-operative society, he can meet his credit requirements from financial assistance extended by it. Besides, he is enabled to purchase and use modern machinery, to effect efficient division of labour, to provide irrigation, to undertake measures for the permanent development of land and finally to sell his produce advantageously, all of which would be beyond the capacity of an individual farmer to achieve.
In 1961 there were only six societies functioning in the district. Of these, four were collective co-operative farming societies whereas the remaining two were joint farming societies. The following is the list of these societies: -
(1) Kharpi Collective Co-operative Farming Society, Limited,.
taluka Achalpur.
(2) Wadgaon Collective Co-operative Farming Society,
Limited, taluka Achalpur.
(3) Ambada Collective Co-operative Farming Society, Limited, taluka Morshi.
(4) Sheoti Jahagir Collective Co-operative Farming Society,
Limited, taluka Amravati.
(5) Daryapur Joint Co-operative Farming Society, Limited,
taluka Daryapur.
(6) Bhiokundi Joint Co-operative Farming Society, Limited,
taluka Morshi.
Collective Co-operative societies.
These can be formed when it is possible to acquire large areas of land on lease either from the landlords or from the Government. If the society owns land on free-hold or lease-hold, if the land is cultivated jointly by all the members, if the produce is raised and sold collectively and if the proceeds are distributed among the members in proportion to their wages (which may include remuneration for personal labour rendered with or without their farm equipment) the society is said to be collective co-operative farming society. It is important to note that the members of a collective co-operative farming society necessarily belong to the class of landless labourers who do not enjoy any ownership or proprietary rights in land. Thus the membership of this type of society ensures its members of employment and means of subsistence.
joint Co-operative Farming Societies.
This type of society envisages pooling together of land
belonging to small owners whose individual holdings do not allow economic and efficient cultivation of land. Members work on the pooled land in accordance with the directions of an Elected Committee and the Manager appointed by it. They work jointly on the farm and receive wages for their labour. The ownership of each member in his holding is recognised by payment'of a dividend or rent in proportion to the value of land. The produce is stockpiled as well as disposed of collectively. The proceeds are applied for (a) meeting all expenses of cultivation including payment for the use of land, wages and cost of management; (b) defraying other charges such as interest on borrowings, depreciation of assets, previous losses, etc., and (c) making provision for reserves and other funds, if any. The residue is then shared by the members in proportion to the wages earned by each after utilising a part thereof towards the payment of bonus to the salaried staff.
There was no lift irrigation society registered in the district till December 1961. Efforts aimed at forming lift irrigation societies did not meet with success on account of the relatively poor response of promoters of the proposed societies and non-availability of funds in the Third Five-Year Plan. The position of the collective co-operative farming societies and joint co-operative farming societies in the district till 31-3-1961 is summarised in the following table.
TABLE No. 12
CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES IN AMRAVATI DISTRICT, 1961.
Particulars |
Collective Co-operative Farming Societies |
Joint Co-operative Farming Societies |
|
Number of Societies |
4 |
2 |
|
Number of members |
56 |
24 |
|
Total land in possession of the Societies |
183.060 (452 acres) |
158.355 (391 acres) |
|
Land under cultivation |
117.450 (290 acres) |
42.525 (105 acres) |
|
Share Capital- |
Rs. |
Rs. |
|
(a) From members |
2,325 |
2,575 |
|
(b) From Government |
5,300 |
6,000 |
|
Reserve Fund |
60 |
24 |
|
Borrowings- |
-- |
-- |
|
(a) From Central Farming Agencies |
2,000 |
-- |
|
(b) From Government |
6,400 |
-- |
|
(c) Subsidy |
1,600 |
-- |
These societies are given financial assistance by the Government in various forms so as to strengthen their financial structure and to help them to implement their schemes vigorously and effectively. The following table reveals the financial assistance made available to four societies between 1959-60 and 1960-61.
TABLE No. 13
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO CO-OPERATIVE SOCIETIES
Particulars |
Wadgaon Collec- tive Co-operative Farming Society |
Kharpi Collec- tive Co-operative Farming Society |
Daryapur Joint Farming Society |
Bhio- kundi Joint Farming Society |
-- |
1959-60 |
1960-61 |
1959-60 |
1960-61 |
1959-60 |
1960-61 |
1960-61 |
(1) |
(2) |
(3) |
(4) |
(5) |
(6) |
(7) |
(8) |
-- |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
Rs. |
|
Share Capital |
3,300 |
-- |
2,000 |
-- |
4,000 |
-- |
2,000 |
|
Land Develop- |
-- |
4,800 |
-- |
1,600 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
ment Loan. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Subsidies- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
(i) Land deve- |
-- |
1,200 |
-- |
400 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
lopment. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
(ii) Seeds and |
500 |
500 |
500 |
386 |
-- |
720 |
-- |
|
manures. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
(iii) Mana- |
-- |
900 |
1,200 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
313 |
|
gerial cost. |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Total assistance |
3,800 |
7,400 |
3,700 |
2,386 |
4,000 |
720 |
2,313 |
Out of the six societies functioning in this district, four collective co-operative farming societies were allotted Government land measuring 183.465 hectares (453 acres). The members of the two joint farming societies could pool 158.355 hectares (391 acres) of land. Thus, out of 341.820 hectares (844 acres) of total land, nearly 159.975 hectares (395 acres) were brought under cultivation during 1960-61. Bhiokundi Joint Co-operative Farming Society could not bring its 116.640 hectares (288 acres) of land under cultivation due to lack of adequate funds. The Central Financing Agency could not accommodate the society on account of the latter's heavy encumbrances. During 1959-60, the first year of cultivation, two collective farming societies incurred losses resulting from heavy expenses on agricultural operations. During the same year, one joint co-operative farming society earned a profit of Rs. 6,642.
The foregoing two tables reveal that the formation and development of co-operative societies was in the initial stages. Out of the six societies, two ceased to function in 1960-61. Wadgaon Collective Co-operative Farming Society received the highest financial assistance amounting to Rs. 7,400 from the Government in the form of land development loan (Rs. 4,800) and subsidies (Rs. 2.600). It will be thus observed that the societies were few in number. Besides, not all of them showed satisfactory results. Collective co-operative farming societies are receiving better response from the landless labourers who get employment on the collective farm. The Central Co-operative Banks have also agreed to finance these societies. It is expected that the movement will avail itself of every sort of assistance extended and gain ground in the years to come.
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