Q.Suggest any five measures to overcome the challenges before the co-operative sector.

The challenges are serious but solvable through honest effort by members, managements and the government.

The challenges before the co-operative sector are serious but not beyond solution. Five important measures to overcome them are:

1. Reduce political interference. Keep politics out of societies by encouraging aware members to elect committees on merit, holding clean and regular elections, and insisting that societies be run for members' economic benefit rather than as political bases. An educated, active membership is the strongest check on political capture.

2. Introduce professional management. Separate policy-making (the elected committee) from day-to-day management (trained, qualified managers and merit-appointed staff), and give regular training to both committee members and employees, so the society is run with real business skill.

3. Strengthen the financial position. Widen membership and raise share capital and deposits, recover loans strictly and on time to cut overdues, control expenditure, build strong reserves out of surplus, and reduce over-dependence on outside borrowing and government aid.

4. Educate and involve members. Through education, training and information, make members understand co-operative values and their rights and duties so they participate actively, attend meetings, vote wisely and stay loyal — keeping the society democratic and its management honest.

5. Improve efficiency and adopt technology. Modernise operations through computerisation and up-to-date methods, improve services and products, and plan the business properly (including sensible diversification) so the society can face competition. …