Why now? What is the occasion for bringing out this booklet? The purpose behind this publication is to not only draw attention to major issues relating to the Cooperative Movement in the State but the larger objective is to spur& encourage action. To celebrate and commemorate Cooperatives, and to launch a concerted effort to   raise awareness about cooperatives,& seek ways to leverage their contribution to socio-economic development in our state, besides laying down an agenda for future action!  

In a sense, this publication anticipates a series of events and developments that will be kicked off in a years time, as  The United Nations General Assembly has already declared 2012 as the International Year of Cooperatives, which will provide a global  platform, for  highlighting the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development, the world over. In adopting resolution 64/136 on 18 December, 2009 , the Assembly significantly noted that cooperatives impact poverty reduction, employment generation and social integration.  

As self-help organizations that meet the needs of their members, cooperatives assist in generating employment and incomes throughout local communities.  Cooperatives provide opportunities for social inclusion.  In the informal economy, workers have formed shared service cooperatives and associations to assist in their self-employment.  In rural areas, savings and credit cooperatives provide access to banking services that are lacking in many communities and finance the formation of small and micro businesses, which   promotes inclusive finance.  

I had the opportunity to participate, and  to witness the historic election of Dame Pauline Green as the first woman President of the ICA (International Cooperative Alliance) at the ICA General Assembly in Geneva in November last year where I had participated as an Observer and in the process had the opportunity to hear her keynote address in the backdrop of the global economic meltdown wherein she remarked:  

 “Our Cooperative model with its commitment to returning surplus to the business  members and the community, its unique ownership structure and democratic traditions built on the enduring values and principles that have served for nearly 200 years, has a real potential to build a more plural economy, a diversified economy that will ensure

that such a corporate collapse should never again occur. Our model gives back to communities and   individuals a sense of control and engagement with their own economic good health; and how inspiring it was to hear Elinor Ostrum 2009’s Nobel Proze Winner for Economics& the first woman Nobel Economic Laureate supporting this thesis…..”  

“Now it is time for change – a change of pace, of focus, of direction”  

• Firstly, lets prepare by making sure that we drive our co-operative visibility into the decision-making global institutions and create a real sense of the strength and values of the co-operative economy in the world.

• And to do that we have to recognise that we are not visible enough now - that the Cooperative Movement is not a sufficiently recognised brand within the walls of the global institutions - that our co-operative identity is not given the priority that our size and contribution deserves and demands. So let’s change that and change it now. Let’s use the name that our founders gave us – lets make sure that it is know around the globe that we are proudly and confidently Co-operatives

• It is time that we began to repay that commitment by proving that we have the drive, the energy, and the imagination to go forward and to create the visibility and influence for the Colleagues, I am certain in my own mind that a membership owned and led organisation doesn’t deserve to exist, unless it is able to demonstrate its worth to its members.”

The above remarks basically capture what this publication endeavors to do which is to recognize that cooperatives in Meghalaya are not visible enough and hence the immediate need to create and market the cooperative brand and  visibility that can spur the movement forward. There is an urgency to also demonstrate the worth of Cooperatives not only to its own members but also to others.We have attempted to highlight Success Stories, in the State like the Mendipathar Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. in East Garo Hills Dist which has a crore plus corpus at its disposal, and has diversified into various activities like the consumer departmental Stores, Poultry, diary besides playing a critical role in mobilizing rubber growers to come together on a common platform ,and in the process transforming and catalyzing the economy of this remote and backward area through a Cooperative Institution.  

The Women’s Group &Handicraft Multipurpose Group (WGHMCS)at  Mawkyndeng ,Jaintia Hills which has united 200 Womens SHGs and is now a byword in Handicraft products, with their items being sold in as far off as in boutiques in Bangalore ,the wheels of hope which  have manifested  themselves in the form of the various Transport Cooperative Societies in  Jaintia Hills District-like the Mookaiaw Trans­port Cooperative. Besides, the other Cooperatives of note, include in the field of  Marketing (Shillong Marketing Coop. Society), besides other noteworthy Cooperatives of note include Credit Cooperatives (Nongthluh SCS),& Handloom Weaving (Upper Nongstoin Women Society) which over the years have been recognized by the Government of India through Awards like the Cooperative Excellence Award.  

Recognizing that Training& capacity building is deeply imbedded in the Cooperative Principles it has been the endeavor of the office of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies to change the pace, focus and direction of trainings-laying much more emphasis on a pragmatic approach to training! Aware that skill upgradation and sharpening of the business acumen are critical to a cooperatives success, the office of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, is now   collaborating with various agencies to introduce newer methods and technologies .Some cases in point: In active collaboration with the Bethany Society, the breakthrough   Japanese Bokashi technology is being introduced  amongst piggery cooperatives with a view to improve the piggery sector. Also, ,the office of the RCS is actively engaged in  facilitating the setting up of Bokashi Demonstration Units, in Ri Bhoi and East Khasi Hills Districts. Convergence with KVIB on orienting bee keepers cooperatives to adopt scientific method of bee keeping to further improve honey production & also tying up with them for marketing is another emerging   thrust area. Besides, in an effort to infuse a dynamic business initiative, efforts have been made to arrange for International Exposure through   dedicated capacity building by partnering with the London based  Oasis International-Oasis  India and Jacobs Well on Design  ,production ,and marketing though UK based professional designer & Consultant& with an aim at encouraging newer ideas and contemporary marketing strategies in the Handloom/Handicraft cooperatives.  

Meghalaya was one of the first states to sign the MOU with Government of India on activizing the path breaking Vaidyanathan Committee Report which at one stroke was intended to restructure and revive the Cooperative Credit Structure in the State, however some pending issues remained. This year all these issues were sorted out with the setting up of a Working group, whose recommendations have been placed before the SLIC(State Level Implementing Committee)&are set to  pave the way for aid and assistance to flow into the State Cooperative Societies, wiping out accumulated losses, and building up capacity of the cooperatives by aquainting Cooperative Societies on CAS(Common Accounting Systems) and introducing computerizations of functions.. Besides, Special Audits have also been completed which has brought in an element of Professionalism & a more realistic assessment in aspects  related to assessing profits and losses.  

The challenges of course are  many, a majority of the Cooperative Societies in the state are bereft of  functional Secretaries, many are functioning only with  Honorary Secretaries. Of the 179 PACS(Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies),about 60 are functional,67 are semi-functional and 52 are dormant. Many of the societies are yet to familiarize themselves with CAS (Common accounting Systems) or computers. The challenge is to rise up to the occasion and to transform the 119 semi functional societies into vibrant, energized and dynamic societies that like the humble bumble bee which though small ,flies energetically enough to produce the proverbial cooperative honey, which can act as an elixir, that not only can reduce poverty& create employment, but also encourages social inclusion and meets the urgent credit needs,so as to galvanize the economy.  

FREDERICK ROY KHARKONGOR, IAS
REGISTRAR OF COOPERATIVE SOCIETIES