Sister Concerns

Maharashtra has nourished over the last ten decades or so a very sound tradition of co-operative endeavours for self and community development. Thousands of co-operative units, be it a cooperative credit society, a sugar factory or a spinning mill have contributed significantly to the economic development of Maharashtra.

Realizing the crucial role the co¬operative units can play in mobilizing, bringing together and channelising the developmental potentials at the grass root levels, Dr. Kadam has established quite a few cooperative units. He has nourished them with utmost care and strict administrative discipline and so they are cited as success stories. He got inspiration from such stalwarts in the co-operative movement such as Dr. D.R.Gadgil, Padmashri Vikhe Patil, Padmashri Vasantdada Patil and others.

To know more of the Co-operative Development Programs of Bharati Vidyapeeth click on relevant links on the top menu under Sister Concerns

Sonhira Cooperative Sugar Factory

Dr. Patangrao Kadam established this co-operative Sugar Factory in Wangi (Dist. Sangli), which is located in an area which is perennially draught stricken. He had earlier got many governmental schemes implemented in this area, including that of percolation and irrigation tanks and the likes. The work of erection of the factory was started in January 1999 and the factory could start producing sugar in February 2000. Commissioning of a sugar factory within such a short time is a mind-boggling achievement.

This unit is located on a sprawling piece of land of 181 acres. It has 16,000 registered members, hailing from sixty villages in Khanapur, Kadegaon and Palus tahashils of Sangli district. It has a crushing capacity of 2,500 metric ton sugarcane per day.

With the commissioning of this factory, the economic profile of this region has undergone a dramatic change. The cash crop economy is paying good dividends to the farmers. A large number of new jobs have been created for the people in the region and the ancillary industries and service units that have become a source of livelihood for hundreds of families, have also been commissioned.

Sonhira Sahakari Utpadak Prakriya va Krishipurak Udyog Sahakari Sangh Kadegaon (Dist. Sangli) (Sonhira Cooperative Productive, Processing and Agribased Industries Cooperative Society)

Economic empowerment of marginal landholders is also an urgent and crucial issue that demands concerted and planned efforts. With a view to provide economic opportunities to marginal landholders to supplement their meagre income, Dr. Kadam established this cooperative Milk Federation in June 1997 at Kadegaon, which runs a milk-collecting unit.

It has its own chilling plant. Its proposed activity is the scheme of distribution of milk in urban areas. Among its members are about 1,100 individual members, and 66 cooperative societies of milk producers.

Sagareshwar Sahakari Soot Girni Kadegaon (Dist. Sangli) (Sagareshwar Co-operative Spinning Mill)

Well informed with practical wisdom as he is, Dr. Kadam realized that the key to the growth of rural economy is an emphasis on agro base industries. Keeping this in view, he started this co-operative spinning mill at Kadegaon (Dist. Sangli) in 1995 with 5700 farmers as its members and a share capital of Rs. 2 crores.

This entire project is of 25,000 spindles involving total investment of Rs. 42 crores. The number of spindles went on increasing initially from 1,000 in 1997 to 2,168 in March 2006. The average production of yarn per month is in the tune of 2.9 lakhs kilos.

The Mill is housed in a beautiful building. With a view to reduce the dependency on the electricity supplied by the State Electricity Board, which is becoming increasingly expensive, the Mill has started its own electricity producing wind power unit of one mega volt strength.

The Mill has established its reputation in the cloth manufacturing industry for the excellent yarn it produces at minimum costs. The Mill has won a state award as the Best Administered unit of the year in 2005.

The Mill has provided sources of income directly and indirectly to thousands of families in the rural region. It is working as a promoting agency for such other units as of ginning, pressing and knitting.

Bharati Sahakari Bank Ltd (A Multi State Scheduled Co-operative Bank)

During the early period of Bharati Vidyapeeth, its Founder needed some finances for its developmental purpose. He approached a local leading bank, which showed little enthusiasm in loaning out any amount to this baby institution. This was a very challenging situation for him, with which he dealt successfully by establishing his own bank "Bharati Sahakari Bank" in 1971. In this task he got co-operation from his colleagues who had tremendous faith in his abilities.

Within a short span of time the Bank won over the confidence of hundreds of its customers and established its reputation as one of the trustworthy and leading banks.

The Bank has now 18 branches and one extension counter operating in New Delhi, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Solapur, Sangli, Kolhapur and at other places located mostly in rural areas. The locker facilities are provided in most of its branches.

There are three landmarks underlining the ever ascending graph of success of Bharati Sahakari Bank:

• The Bank has earned 'A' audit class every year continuously since its establishments
• The Bank has paid to its share holders annual dividend at the rate of 15% every year.
• The Bank is one of the few cooperative Banks in Maharashtra, which have been given the status both as a Multi State Bank (April 2002) and a Scheduled Bank (May 2002)

The Bank is particularly keen to help people belonging to the deprived sections of society, small entrepreneurs and concerns. The Bank's Corporate Office is located in Pune.

Bharati Madhyavarti Sahakari Grahak Bhandar (Bharati Central Co-Operative Consumers' Store, Pune)

Dr. Kadam established this multi sector successful cooperative unit in 1973 with a view to make the items of daily consumption available to the common man at reasonable prices at his door steps. The Central store has its two branches in Pune, one in Sangli and one at Kadegaon. The Store also runs other allied units, which include Bharati Medical Store (Pune), Bharati Gas Agency (Pune), Bharati Wholesale Trading Agency, Bharati Krishi Seva Kendra (Kadegaon).

All the branches of the Store and also its constituent units are rendering quality services to their customers. Its home delivery system and Akshay Deposit Yojana have received thumping response from the customers. Its annual turn over is in the tune of Rs. 14 crores. The Store organizes various sale festivals, like Annual Rice Festival. It offers free home delivery service to its customers.

This unit has its Board of Directors, usually having almost 90% women members. The unit has distinctions of getting "A" grade from the Government Auditors and of distribution of handsome annual dividends to its members. The experiment of running cooperative Consumers Stores has mostly failed elsewhere. However, this Store and its branches have won the confidence of their clients and have established their reputation.

Khanapur Taluka Co-operative Poultry Farm

This cooperative poultry unit was established in 1987 at Kadegaon (Dist. Sangli). The number of its registered members exceeds 600 and its share capital exceeds Rs. 2,45,000/-. At present its daily average production is 34,000 eggs. The project was financed by the N.C.D.C., New Delhi.

The poultry has its own production unit of feed meal, which produces feed material at the rate of 3 metric tons per hour.

Khanapur Taluka Mahila Auduyogik Sahakari Sanstha Kadegaon (Dist. Sangli)

(Khanapur, Taluka cooperative Industrial Society of Women), Kadegaon, (Dist. Sangli)

Empowerment of women, particularly those from rural areas has been an item of priority on the agenda of Dr. Patangrao Kadam. This concern of Dr. Kadam is shared by his wife, Mrs. Vijayamala Kadam. It is with her initiative that this co-operative unit was established in 1991. The mission of this unit is to help rural deprived women, particularly widows, destitutes, divorcees and deserted to be financially self reliant and to enable them to live a life of honour and dignity.

The Society has over 250 registered members on its roll. It arranges occupational-training programmes for its members. The members are given different job works including preparation of school uniforms, uniforms for the class IV employees of Bharati Vidyapeeth and likes. Its proposed activities include launching of manufacturing units of spices and stationary items.

Bharati Printing Press

Bharati Vidyapeeth has a Printing Press of its own, which was commissioned way back in May 1970. This Press is well equipped with state-of-the-art printing machinery. All the printing work for Bharati Vidyapeeth and its various educational institutions and sister concerns is carried out in the press, which has earned reputation for its high quality performance.