Cooperative Societies Act

Cooperative Societies Act is a Central Act. However, ‘Cooperative Societies’ is a State Subject (Entry 32 of List II of Seventh Schedule to Constitution, i.e. State List). Though the Act is still in force, it has been specifically repealed in almost all the States and those States have their own Cooperative Societies Act. Thus, practically, the Central Act is mainly of academic interest. - - – As per preamble to the Act, the Act is to facilitate formation of cooperative societies for the promotion of thrift and self-help among agriculturists, artisans and persons of limited means.

The Statement of Objects and reasons states as follows – 

(a) Cooperative Society can be established for purpose of credit, production or distribution. 

(b) Agricultural credit societies must be with unlimited liability. 

(c) Unlimited society is not best form of cooperation for agricultural commodities. However, the provision is continued as in several provinces (now States) such societies do exist and are working.  It is not intended to give them undue encouragement, but to legalise their existence.

(d) Unlimited society can distribute profits with permission of State Government.

Registration of Society - State Government will appoint Registrar of Cooperative Societies. State Government can appoint persons to assist Registrar and confer on such persons all or any of powers of Registrar. [section 3]. Function of Registrar starts with registration of a society. He has powers of general supervision over society. Returns of Society are to be filed with Registrar. He can order inquiry or inspection against society. He can order dissolution of society.

Societies which may be registered – A society which has as its object the promotion of economic interests of its members in accordance with cooperative principles can be registered as a Society. Similarly, a society established with the object of facilitating operation of such a society can also be registered under the Act. The society can be registered with limited or unlimited liability. However, unless State Government otherwise directs, (1) Liability of a society of which a member is a registered society shall be limited. (2) Liability of a society of which object is to creation of funds to be lent to members, and of which majority of members are agriculturists and of which no member is a registered society shall be unlimited [section 4]. Thus, a registered society can be member of another society, but liability of such other society must be limited, unless State Government otherwise directs.

Who can form a society – A society can be formed with at least 10 members of age above 18 years. If object of society is creation of funds to be lent to its members, all the members must be residing in same town, village or group of villages or all members should be of same tribe, class, caste or occupation, unless Registrar otherwise directs.  - - The provision of minimum 10 members or residing in same town/village etc. is not applicable if a registered society is member of another society. - - The last word in name of society should be ‘Limited’. If the Society is registered with limited liability. [section 6]. Registrar is empowered to decide whether a person is agriculturist or non-agriculturist or whether he is resident of same town/village or whether the members belong to same caste/tribe etc. and his decision will be final. [section 7].

Presidents of India,Rashtrapati Bhavan,Trivia

ELECTION OF THE PRESIDENT OF INDIA

Article 52 states that there shall be a President of India. The executive powers of the Union shall be vested in the President. He, as the head of a state, symbolises the nation. In some democratic systems, the head of the state is also the head of the government and, therefore, he will also be the head of the political executive. The US Presidency represents this form. In Britain, the monarch is the symbolic head, representing the British nation. The powers of the Government are vested in the political office of the Prime Minister. In Indian Parliamentary democracy we have adopted the latter form. The President of India is the first citizen and represents the Indian nation and does not, therefore, belong to any particular political party. He is elected by the representatives of the people through an Electoral College.

Article 54 of the constitution says:

"The President shall be elected by the members of an electoral college consisting of -

(a) The elected members of both Houses of Parliament and

(b) The elected members of the Legislative Assemblies of the States (including National Capital Territory of Delhi and the Union Territory of Pondicherry vide the Constitution 70th amendment Act, 1992)."

Thus in the election of the President the citizens play no direct part and he is elected indirectly by the representatives or the people, like the American President but no special electoral college is elected, as in the case of America. Another point of difference that may be noted is that the election of the President of India is by the system of proportional representation, by the single transferable vote, as provided by Article 55(3) of the Constitution, while the American President is elected by the straight vote system. 

                                             Some Rashtrapati Bhavan Facts..

                                                                          

• The main entrance to Rashtrapati Bhavan is known as Gate 35, and is located on Prakash Vir Shastri Avenue, renamed from North Avenuein November 2002, as a memorial to the politician of the namesake who served here during his tenure as a Member of Parliament for the state of Uttar Pradesh.
• The Mughal Garden in The Palace of India displays numerous types of flowers and is open to public in February every year.
• No steel was used to construct The Palace of India.
• The song Des Rangila from Fanaa was shot at Rashtrapati Bhavan including its rehearsal scenes.
• Jaipur Column---The main structure is 640 feet wide and its sides are 540 feet deep (roughly 195 by 165 meters). The circumference at the base is a kilometere long. There is a vast court in front, T-shaped, with the horizontal line aligned with the front of the building. In the center of this jutting section stands the Jaipur Column, 145 feet(44.2 meters), topped by a bronze lotus from which rises a six-pointed glass star. The name of the column comes from the fact that its cost was borne by the Maharaja of Jaipur. An intresting details about the column is that inside the stone shaft runs a steel tube which tethers the lotus and the star, which weigh a little more than five tonnes, to a concrete block in the foundation.The British sculptor Charles Sargeant Jagger, known for his war memorials in Britain, designed the elephants on the corners of the retaining walls, as well as the bas-reliefs around the base of the Jaipur Column.
• Banquet Hall
  State Dinning Hall, now known as Banquet Hall. Can seat 104 persons. Portraits of all former Presidents embellish its walls. An assortment of medieval arms on display.
• It is the largest residence of any Head of the State in the world.

 Names of Presidents Tenure No.

1. Dr Rajendra Prasad (1884-1963) 26 January 1950 to 13 May 1962

2. Dr Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan (1888-1975) 13 May 1962 to 13 May 1967

3. Dr Zakir Hussain (1897-1969) 13 May 1967 to 3 May 1969

4. Shri Varahagiri Venkat Giri (1894-1980) 3 May 1969 to 20 July 1969 and 24 August 1969 to 24 August 1974

5. Dr Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed (1905-1977) 24 August 1974 to 11 February 1977

6. Shri Neelam Sanjiva Reddy (1913-1996) 25 July 1977 to 25 July 1982

7. Giani Zail Singh (1916-1994) 25 July 1982 to 25 July 1987

8. Shri R. Venkataraman (1910- ) 25 July 1987 to 25 July 1992

9. Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma (1918-1999) 25 July 1992 to 25 July 19973

10. Shri K.R. Narayanan (1920-2005) 25 July 1997 to 25 July 2002

11. Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (1931- ) 25 July 2002 to 25 July 2007

12.Pratibhatai DeviSingh Patil (currently)

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Rashtrapati Nilayam  is one of the three official retreats of the President of India. It is located in a suburb called Bollarum on the outskirts of the south Indian city, Secunderabad.

Because this residence is in a region far removed from the national capital, New Delhi, it is held to be indicative of the role that the President plays in unifying a diverse nation.

It has come to be known as President's Southern Sojourn. It is occasionally used as a guest house for visiting dignitaries.

The other retreats are Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi and The Retreat Building in Shimla.

The Rashtrapati Nilayam was constructed in 1860 by the erstwhile Nizam of Hyderabad. After the Hyderabad state joined the Indian Union in1948, the management of this estate was taken over by the President's Secretariat.

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The Retreat Building is the official Retreat Residence of the President of India at Chharabra,Shimla. It is located 10km away from Shimla and is a thousand feet higher than the Shimla Ridge Top.

The Retreat Building was built in 1850 and it was a part of the Viceroy of India property. This building was taken over from viceroy during 1895.

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Roshini is an initiative taken on the directions of the President to make the President's Estate a green, energy efficient and a zero waste model township.

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The role of The President's Bodyguard is twofold - Ceremonial and Operational. They are the personal troops of The President of India and hence form an integral part of all state functions. Operationally, The President's Bodyguard has always responded to the call of duty. The Regiment has seen action in various roles and battlefields ever since it was raised. Post Independence, the Bodyguard Armoured Cars were the first to be air lifted to Chushul. In 1965, the Regiment participated in 'OPERATIONAL ABLAZE'. Detachments of the Bodyguard have served in 'OPERATION PAWAN' in Sri Lanka with the Indian Peace Keeping Force and in 'OPERATION MEGHDOOT' on the Siachen Glacier. Detachments of the Bodyguard have also served overseas with the United Nations Peace Keeping Forces in Somalia, Angola and Sierra Leone. 

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The President's Bodyguard was raised in 1773 at Benaras by the then Governor General of India, Warren Hasting and is the senior most Regiment of the Indian Army. The Regiment has completed 235 years of distinguished service. It is the senior most unit of the Indian Army, whose distinction, is in its position as 'Right of the Line' on all official and ceremonial occasions. The President's Bodyguard thus, takes precedence over all other Regiments and Corps. Col Ali Adil Mahmood, VSM is presently commanding the Regiment with Lt Col Ravinder Narwal, SM as Second-in-Command, Maj Mohit Vaishnava as Technical Adjutant and Maj Rahul Ranjan as the Medical Officer. Lt Gen Vinod Chopra, AVSM and Bar, Military Secretary to the President, is the Colonel of the Regiment.

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Air India One (AI-001) is the call-sign of any aircraft with the Prime Minister of India or the President of India on-board. This plane is also known as VIP-1 or Tanjore.Since 2003, a Boeing 747-437B, equipped with jamming equipment, anti-missile systems and air-to-air refueling facility, has been used as Air India One.

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Dr. Najma Heptulla  is vice president of BJP an Indian politician and was a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan from July 2004 to July 2010. She is the grand-niece of Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, a prominent Indian freedom fighter, a strong proponent of united India, and its first Minister of Education after Independence. She lost to Hamid Ansari in the 13th Vice-Presidential Elections held in August 2007 by 233 votes.

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Did you know ?

India also celebrates the birthday of Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President and Vice-President and great statesman, as “Teachers’ Day”. Born on September 5, 1888, at Tiruttani, 40 miles to the north-east of Madras, Radhakrishnan grew to become the most famous Indian teacher and philosopher of all times. In his honour, this day is celebrated as Teacher’s Day. He was also the Vice-President of India from 1952-1962. He held the office of the Chancellor, University of Delhi, before taking over as the President of India in May 1962.

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Who was the first woman to contest elections for the post of President of India?-Lakshmi Sehgal "

A doctor by profession, Captain Lakshmi came into the limelight in India towards the end of World War II for her role as the commander of theRani of Jhansi Regiment of the INA and her role as a minister in Subhas Bose's Azad Hind government. She later became involved in politics in independent India, serving as a member of parliament in the Upper House and later running for President as a left wing candidate. Lt Col Swaminathan is commonly referred to as Captain Lakshmi in India, referring to her rank at the time of being taken prisoner in Burma, as widely reported in Indian newspapers at the end of the war and which captured the public imagination, as opposed to her not widely known promotion in the last days of Azad Hind.

Major Fairs in IndiA

FAIRS

Fairs have always been part of rural India. They fill a social and economic need. Even today most rural communities still have their weekly fair. They are colourful affairs where people from all the surrounding villages come to sell their produce and but what they require.

JANUARY / FEBRUARY

NAGAUR FAIR - NAGAUR, RAJASTHAN Life in the town of Nagaur starts bustling every year with the thronging of Cattle, horses and camels accompanied by their owners and buyers. The cattle fair held here annually is supposed to be one of the largest in the world. Nagaur bulls are renowned for their fleet-footedness and therefore, attract buyers from all over. The day starts with buyers and sellers engaged in earnest bargains. Once the price of a horse, bullock or a camel has been settled, the day closes with dances, songs and merrymaking. GANGASAGAR MELA - Gangasagar, West Bengal Near the mouth of the river Ganges in the state of West Bengal, is the island of Gangasagar where the Ganges meet the Bay of Bengal. Every year a Mela is held here in January on Makara Sankranti day and is attended by a large number of pilgrims from all over India. The island is dedicated to the sage Kapila. BENESHWAR FAIR - Beneshwar, Rajasthan Towards the full moon night during the month of January/February, thousands of Bhil tribe people join together at the junction of two rivers, Som and Mahi in Rajasthan. They immerse ashes of their relatives died during that year, as a memorial service. After that, they bathe in the river to cleanse themselves and then worship at the temple where God Shiva is defied. In India more than 400 tribes live separately. Bhil is one of them and they live mainly in the mountains near boundaries of Rajasthan, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. They all are serious Hindus and believe that they are the descendants of God Shiva.

APRIL / MAY

URS AJMER SHARIF - Ajmer, Rajasthan Every year Ajmer prepares for its festival - the Urs of Khwaja Moinuddin Chisti, a Sufi saint. The Urs, commemorating the symbolic union of the saint with god, is an occasion for celebration. Thousands or pilgrims arrive to pray at the dargah (tomb) of the saint. SONEPUR FAIR - Sonepur, BiharAt the time of the Kartik Poornima, cattle fairs are also held at Sonepur, in Bihar and at Bateshwar and Mukteshwar in the state of Uttar Pradesh. One of the largest cattle fairs in the country is held at Sonepur. At this month-long fair there is a lot of trade in cattle. Cows and oxen are coloured bright shades of red, yellow and purple. Their horns are gilded. The sound of their bells and the trumpeting of elephants add to the glamour of the fair.

JULY / AUGUST

GANGAUR FAIR - All over Rajasthan, especially Jaipur, Udaipur & MandawaIdols of Issar and Gangaur, manifestations of Shiva and Parvati, are worshipped by women, and particularly those unmarried who pray for a consort of the like of Shiva. Celebrated all over Rajasthan, it has women taking out processions through the streets of towns, carrying images of the divine couple. The festival is especially colourful in Jaipur, Udaipur, and at Mandawa in the Shekhawati region.

OCTOBER / NOVEMBER

PUSHKAR FAIR - PUSHKAR, RAJASTHANPushkar - the ancient town of Rajasthan, 11 kms from Ajmer, is situated around the sacred lake. The Place is transformed into a spectacular fair ground in the month of Kartik (October/November). The fair attracts a great number of tourist from across the world. a temple here is dedicated to Lord Brahma. Pushkar has three main lakes - Jayshtha Pushkar, Madhyam Pushkar and Kanishtha Pushkar. The fair is one of the largest cattle fairs on the world, in which camels are a special attraction. Here one can see camels being raced and paraded, vendors selling dazzling wares and people getting themselves tattooed. in the evening hundreds of oil of lamps placed on leaves are floated on the lake by worshippers.

DECEMBER

THE GOA CARNIVAL - Goa  The exuberant carnival is held for a week every year in Goa just before Lent. All of Panaji goes wild for that period and it is a time of feasting and fun, of dances, balls and parades. With the parade, the festival gets off to a spectacular start and the fun-loving Goans make the most of their carnival before setting down to the solemnity at Lent. TARNETAR MELA - Tarnetar, Saurashtra  This unusual mela is held annually at Tarnetar. The fair turns into a kind of marriage market for the local tribes - the Kolis. this festival is famous also for its folk dances - the traditional Gujarati garba, ras and haro. Source---http://www.visit-indya.com/indian-fairs.html

The Mughal Chronolgy

Mughal Dynasty

1526 – 1530 Bābur (Tīmūrid ruler of Transoxiana 1497 – 8 and 1500 – 1 ; captured Delhi 1526 ) 1530 – 1540 Humāyūn (son; deposed) Sūrī Dynasty

1540 – 1545 Shīr Shāh Sūr 1545 – 1553 Islām Shāh (son) 1553 Fīrūz IV (son) 1553 – 1555 Muḥammad ‛Ādil (nephew of Shīr Shāh ; deposed, died 1557 ) 1555 Ibrāhīm III (first cousin of Shīr Shāh ; deposed, died 1568 ) 1555 Sikandar III (first cousin; deposed, died 1559 ) Mughal Dynasty

1555 – 1556 Humāyūn (restored) 1556 – 1605 Akbar I, the Great (son) 1605 – 1627 Jahāngīr (son) 1628 – 1658 Shāh Jahān I (son; deposed, died 1666 ) 1658 – 1707 Aurangzīb ‛Ālamgīr I (son) 1707 – 1712 Bahādur Shāh I ( Shāh ‛Ālam I ) (son) 1712 – 1713 Jahāndār Shāh (son) 1713 – 1719 Farrukhsiyar (nephew; deposed, died 1719 ) 1719 Rafī‛al-Darajāt (grandson of Bahādur Shāh I ) 1719 Shāh Jahān II ( Rafī‛al-Daula ) (brother) 1719 – 1748 Muḥammad Shāh (grandson of Bahādur Shāh I ) 1748 – 1754 Aḥmad Shāh (son; deposed, died 1774 ) 1754 – 1759 ‛Ālamgīr II (son of Jahāndār Shāh ) 1759 – 1806 Shāh ‛Ālam II (son) 1806 – 1837 Akbar II (son) 1837 – 1858 Bahādur Shāh II (son; deposed, died 1862 ; direct British rule of India)

POST 26/11

The 26/11 attacks changed not just Mumbai but the entire nation. People were shocked at the brazenness of the terror strikes, which exposed the loopholes in the country's security apparatus...

 The whole world watched in amazement as Indian television provided an embarrassing, 24/7 coverage of the country's vulnerability. Less than a dozen terrorists brought the country to a virtual standstill for three days. While we all sat glued to our television sets, government agencies acted like a bunch of Keystone cops. Former US envoy's Ronen Sen's favourite phrase "headless chickens" was certainly very apt.

What has transpired since the Mumbai attacks in terms of diplomacy and responses seems to be following a well-worn script. India has clear evidence of Pakistani involvement. The US recognized this evidence and leaned on Pakistan to do something about the terrorists being trained within its borders. The United Nations also called for action. The Pakistanis have undertaken a symbolic response, placing a terrorist leader under house arrest and banning his organization. Meanwhile, the media and other parts of the power structure deny involvement in the attack or its preparation, blaming the Indians or Americans themselves.






Initiatives taken by the GOI

1)That time lag of Nov 26, 2008 when the National Security Guards (NSG) took about five hours to take up position to combat India’s worst terror attack will never be repeated, promises chief of the elite commando force N.P.S. Aulakh. “We lost time during the Mumbai serial attacks. But things have changed and now we can take up any challenge within just 30 minutes of notice and that too anywhere,’ NSG Director General N.P.S. Aulakh told IANS in an exhaustive interview. 2) Force One, Maharashtra’s “elite security force designed on the lines of the National Security Guard (NSG)” has been commissioned . 3) Arms purchase has increased in India. Not just in Maharashtra but by the central government, and the Army too. 4) The Navy is also beefing up on infrastructure to protect India from the sea. From aircraft to boats, to the numerical strength of personnel is all being increased. 5) Vacancies in the Maharashtra police, which were at 230,567 on January 1, 2008 are now down to less than 150,000. The central government has ordered that this deficit be brought down further, and infact brought down to zero by March 2010. 6) A 20 per cent increase in the budget for Coast Guard vessels. Manpower is also being increased. 7) The Maharashtra government has set aside Rs 150 Crore to buy speed boats this last June. 8] The government has opened four NSG hubs in Mumbai, Kolkata, Hyderabad and Chennai, each having a strength of 241 personnel. 9) NSG will now be better mobilized.

What the experts have to say...

G. Parthasarathy

• Pakistan is obfuscating and stalling. If it continues to instigate the Taliban, problems will continue for us.
• Diplomatically,we have been defensive.We should have refused to answer Pakistan’s 30 questions.
• Within 72 hours of 26/11, India should have carried out precision military strikes against terrorist camps in Pakistan.
• We don’t act till the US pushes us.We usually allow Pakistan to hijack our agenda.
• We expect the world to do everything for us, but we have not taken any diplomatic action to voice our anger.

Maj-Gen V. K. Datta

• We are facing a malaise that started with the Partition.We can’t deal with Pakistan through five-year plans.
• Strikes against Pakistan are difficult as the US forces have bases and logistic networks there.
• Covert operations are about political will—the ability to do what the enemy is doing to you.
• You cannot have the special forces proliferating all over. I am aghast the Government wants NSG units everywhere.
• A single shot from a welltrained policeman armed with a .303 rifle can take out a terrorist carrying a bazooka.

Brahma Chellaney

• Between inaction and strikes lie a hundred economic, political and diplomatic options, which we have not used.
• Counter-terror strategy needs a well thought-out doctrine, effective instruments, a deterrent structure and political resolve.
• The Indian Government is too afraid to even raise the question of covert strikes.
• India has suffered more major terror strikes than any other nation but we don’t have a counterterror doctrine.
• At the highest level of the Government, there is this desire to discuss but not to take any hard decisions.

Kiran Bedi

• The police leadership today is quiet, is crying, is helpless and is weak and leaderless.
• No systemic corrections have been done since 26/11. No one in the Home Ministry has paid the price.
• India’s 1.3 million policemen have not been made a part of the war on terror.
• The invisible occupation by bureaucrats who control police budgets and postings takes the courage out of the force.
• Anti-terrorist cells in every state must be assured of funds, of intelligence budgets and mobility.

Lt-Gen Satish Nambiar

• Surgical strikes would have made sense within 10 hours of the attack, but we didn’t know if Pakistan was behind it.
• It is a shame that successive governments have surrendered such vast amounts of the defence budget.
• The armed forces are not ready for war and we are lucky as no one has tested us recently.
• There is no accountability in our security system. The NSAwas at dinner when 26/11 was happening as he has no role.
• The measures taken by the Government, like changing the home minister, are just cosmetic.

Ajit Kumar Doval

• No media in any country has been as irresponsible. It was through TV that terrorists could see the operations.
• The real masterminds like the Zarar Shahs and the Lakhvis are outside the scope and jurisdiction of our law.
• The Home Ministry is yet to take the first step towards capacity building for fighting terror.
• The masterminds of terror attacks need to be targeted in covert strikes along with the terrorist training camps.
• Every step taken during the operation was wrong. Coordination at the policy level is missing and non-focussed.