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Milk for money
IS there something extraordinary about women? Whatever they touch, touchwood, pays remarkable dividends! Take, for instance, the milk cooperative society of Latala village. One of the oldest in the district, it?s been milking profit for the past two decades, thus bringing about emancipation of rural women. Totally run and managed by women, work at the society starts before sunup. By 7 a.m., when the rest of nightbirds are beginning to wake up, efficient women have already wound up operations for the day! This society collects a whopping 21 quintals of milk every day ? turnover spiralled to Rs 4 lakh in the last financial year! Latala?s milk coop also boasts of a huge number of members at 525. It?s the highest membership in the entire district. ?A tedious job, managing accounts of milk production and travelling to and fro between the two centres at the village,? says Harjinder Kaur, president of the society, but in the same breath agrees it?s worth the effort. Eight office-bearers look after the society?s work while an accountant looks after the financial dealings. ?The society pays his salary,? Harjinder Kaur is very proud of the achievement.
Milk for money
Men started some milk societies — they flopped miserably. Women, however, successfully run them. Latala, near Ludhiana, is one example.
IS there something extraordinary about women? Whatever they touch, touchwood, pays remarkable dividends! Take, for instance, the milk cooperative society of Latala village. One of the oldest in the district, it’s been milking profit for the past two decades, thus bringing about emancipation of rural women.
Totally run and managed by women, work at the society starts before sunup. By 7 a.m., when the rest of nightbirds are beginning to wake up, efficient women have already wound up operations for the day! This society collects a whopping 21 quintals of milk every day — turnover spiralled to Rs 4 lakh in the last financial year! Latala’s milk coop also boasts of a huge number of members at 525. It’s the highest membership in the entire district. “A tedious job, managing accounts of milk production and travelling to and fro between the two centres at the village,” says Harjinder Kaur, president of the society, but in the same breath agrees it’s worth the effort. Eight office-bearers look after the society’s work while an accountant looks after the financial dealings. “The society pays his salary,” Harjinder Kaur is very proud of the achievement.
This society came into being in 1981 when the then sarpanch took the initiative of establishing a centre at the village where women could work. “That was my father-in-law,” says Paramjit Kaur, who is still involved with the society. “He envisioned excellent gains from the society.” His dream’s taken shape and the number of centres has increased.
Latala’s coop — and success story for women — is not the only one. Verka Milk Plant, Ludhiana, runs 100 such milk cooperative societies which have come as a boon for people.
Back to Latala, both centres at the village are equipped with a computer each and an electronically milk testing machine. “Verka authorities bought this equipment in 1999 out of the profit we earn every year,” Sarabjit Kaur, a society office-bearer, is quick with information. While takehome for women depends on the number of animals, it can be anywhere starting at Rs 5,000 a month.
In this news positive, there’s a deluge of information. The society also offers loans on easy installments for purchasing cattle and has funds demarcated for educating society members and office-bearers. “We get loans up to Rs 15,000 on easy installments which are utilised in best possible manner,” adds Harjinder Kaur.
The success story, however, hits a rather sore note when the issue of cattle’s maintenance arises. “A healthy buffalo costs anything between Rs 17,000 to Rs 25,000,” explains Harjinder Kaur. “You cannot comprise on the quality of cattle and neither can you feed her a poor diet. The cost of cattle feed has increased in the past few years and so have the policies.”
With the change in economic policy of bar on 5 per cent employees’ fund, the society members expect depleted income this year round.
But for this bunch of women, who democratically elect their office-bearers every five years, economic gains are not the end of everything. “The society,” chorus Harjinder and Sarabjit Kaur, “is a platform for us now.”
Besides Latala, successful milk cooperative societies are running from Lalton Kalan (which was registered in 1968), Nangal Khurd, Jodhan and a few more surrounding villages. Deputy manager, milk procurement, Verka Milk Plant, Ludhiana, Hardit Singh hits the nail on the head when he says: “Women have succeeded where men have failed. The concept of cooperative societies gained momentum only with the involvement of women. There are a few societies that were first run by men and miserably failed. Later women revived it and are running them successfully.”
Need one say anything more?
