With Shivpal at helm, kin, friends tighten grip on cooperative sector

Recovering from the stigma of multi-crore NRHM scam, the Akhilesh Yadav government has already allotted projects worth several crores. PACCFED has been assigned to construct 28 health centers estimated to be worth

Rs 42 crore under the NRHM scheme. Another Rs 100 crore has been sanctioned for construction of godowns in several districts under cooperative department.

Earlier, the works were allotted to contractors without any tendering and were issued advance payment. Most of them did not complete the work on time. In the absence of any checks, the quality of work was bad. There was also siphoning of money. Babu Singh Kushwaha, who has since been arrested, was the co-operative minister. The CBI, which is investigating the NRHM scam on the order of the Allahabad High Court, has chargesheeted four officials of PACCFED, including then MD V K Choudhary, Superintendent Engineer A K Srivastava, Chief Engineer M M Tripathi and Assistant Engineer Vipul Gupta, besides Kushwaha.

Another Yadav kin likely to get top post

Cooperative minister Shivpal Yadav's son Ankur Yadav is likely to be elected as director of UP Cooperative Federation, commonly known as PCF. Ankur will submit his nomination on Wednesday and will also contest for the Chairman's post. PCF has 14 directors who elect chairman from among themselves. PCF is the oldest cooperative institution in the state which was set up in 1943 and presently has a turnover of over Rs 4,000 crore. Shivpal himself has already been elected as Chairman of UP Sahkari Gram Vikas Bank, commonly known as Land Development Bank (LDB). With Ankur's election, the Yadav family will strengthen its grip on cooperative sector in the state. ENS

ALSO READ

Woman athlete from UP first Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest

BJP backs 42 booked officials

Talwars’ plea to call 14 as witness rejected by HC

It’s custodial killing: AMU teachers