BJP Leader Pravin Darekar Calls For Collective Efforts To Revive Maharashtra State Cooperative Union As Training Hub

Pravin Darekar, the BJP leader and Maharashtra State Cooperative Union chairman, has urged members and officials to collaborate in revitalizing the cooperative union and restoring its primary function of offering education and training to the cooperative sector. Addressing the 108th annual general meeting of the Maharashtra State Cooperative Union, Darekar highlighted the challenges the organization faced in delivering high-quality training due to a shortage of experienced instructors and delayed salary payments.

These issues had led to a decline in training quality, enabling private entities to fill the void. To address these concerns, the board has shifted its focus towards reinstating the union's original purpose and expanding its revenue streams. The pending education fund with the state government, currently in a final stage, is anticipated to be resolved within a month.

A panel of experts has been established to enhance the quality of training, with trainers participating in specialized programs and receiving appropriate compensation. Thirteen training centers have received Rs 25 lakh from the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank, with plans to extend the initiative to district boards. The union aims to deliver online training simultaneously to 13 training centers and 30 boards.

Darekar emphasized the significance of employee welfare, noting that staff continued to work despite challenging conditions. The union is clearing pending salaries in phases and recruiting 110 additional employees to tackle staff shortages. Infrastructure projects are also underway, including a 14-story Sahakar Bhavan at Pratiksha Nagar, which will house a hall, training center, and rest house.

The state government has allocated land for projects in Vikhroli and Aarey, including a housing federation facility and a sub-center. Darekar stressed the cooperative sector's vast financial potential and called for increased circulation of business and funds within the cooperative sector. He urged cooperative leaders and workers to work together, ensuring that business generated by the cooperative sector remains within it.