ECONOMIC TRENDS

CO-OPERATIVE MOVEMENT.

The co-operative movement is a great force influencing the economic set-up in the rural country side. It has played a significant role in changing the economic conditions in the fields of rural credit, agricultural marketing, small-scale and village industries, farming, housing and consumers societies. The  simultaneous speeding of co-operative movement with the launching of the five year plans has brought about accelerated results beneficial to the economically weaker sections of the people.

The movement found an humble beginning in the district, in 1909, in which year the first co-operative organisation was established in Gadhchiroli tahsil. The first co-operative bank was organised in 1912 which went into liquidation in 1925. Co-operative central banks were organised at Brahmapuri and Warora in 1912 and 1913, respectively. However, these banks were closed as per government policy. This was followed by the establishment of the Chanda District Central Co-operative Bank, in January 1962, which was charged with the onerous responsibility of leading the co-operative banking movement in the district. The establishment of the District Co-operative Land Development Bank, in March 1961, was a great event in the field of agricultural finance. The existence of this organisation is very significant because it provides medium-term and long-term finance to the agriculturists for making improvements of a permanent nature, such as, digging wells, lift irrigation, bunding, trenching, etc. Another addition to the co-operative structure in Chandrapur District was the Chanda Urban Co-operative Bank which was registered in 1961-62. Though the area of operation of this bank is limited to Chandrapur town, it is instrumental in mopping up the savings, especially of the middle and lower income groups of people.

The co-operative movement in the district was confined mainly to credit activities in the past. Subsequently the area of operation of the co-operatives expanded to marketing, supply of agricultural requisites, small and village industries, irrigation, fishing, cattle breeding, forest labour, housing, etc. These societies have been of immense benefit to the respective sections of population. The following statement gives the number of co-operatives of various types in the district:-

The District Central Co-operative Bank with 25 branches in  the district has played a pioneering role in advancing short-term  and medium-term loans to agricultural credit societies, agricultural marketing societies and industrial co-operatives. Besides  financial accommodation, it provides guidance and direction to  the co-operative movement in the district. The Chanda District  Co-operative Land Development Bank having five branches has  made remarkable progress during the span of six years. It has done very valuable work through its schemes of medium-term and long-term loans, and rural debentures.

The agricultural primary societies covered 2,474 out of 2,755 inhabited villages in the district in 1966-67. It means that about 90% of the villages are covered under the movement. The percentage of rural population served by rural societies is about 87.

The co-operative movement has not made much progress in the field of marketing of agricultural produce. This lack of progress is attributable to the lack of progress in regulation of agricultural marketing. Unlike the districts in Western Maharashtra and Marathwada, the development of regulated markets has been extremely slow in Chandrapur. Though a few market committees have started functioning the turnover and coverage of trade is insignificant. This has hindered the development of linking of credit with marketing. The purchase and sale societies in this district have limited their functioning to the distribution of agricultural requisites and equipment and distribution of rationed articles. Besides, they are authorised by the Government to procure paddy, rice and jowar.

The co-operative movement, however, has made significant progress in the fields of processing industries, village industries, crafts and forest labour. The various co-operatives in these fields receive the much needed financial accommodation and managerial help from the co-operative department. The societies have contributed in a great: extent towards improvement of the standard of living of the craftsmen and forest labourers.

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