Daijiworld Media Network - Udupi (SP)

Udupi, Dec 3: Reacting to the scathing criticism launched against him by MLA Raghupati Bhat for his alleged stand against the formation of a separate central cooperative bank for the district, zilla panchayat president Raju Poojary clarified that he had only expressed the opinion that the formation of a new bank is not required at present because of the difficult economic scenario. Majority of the branches of South Canara District Cooperative Bank functioning in the district are facing losses, he pointed out.

Speaking at a press conference held here on Tuesday December 2, Poojary asserted that he was not totally against the formation of the new bank. Out of 32 branches of the above bank in Dakshina Kannada district, 8 are facing losses, while 12 out of 21 branches of the bank in Udupi district are running under loss, he said. At the meeting of the representatives from cooperative institutions from all over the district held in the city recently, 159 out of 229 who participated, were against the setting up of the new bank. Farmer leaders also concurred with this opinion, saying that at present, the same can be put on hold, he explained.

He asked the MLA to concentrate on getting the dues of farmers who supplied sugarcane to Brahmavar sugar factory cleared as promised earlier, instead of kicking up a controversy on the setting up of the said bank.

State JD (S) president Deviprasad Shetty and district Cooperative Union president Kishen Hegde Kolkebail were present.