Report on the Condition of the Co-operative Movement in Orissa

The first part deals with the origin and the slow progress of the movement from its inception up to the period ending 31st March 1920—that is to say up to the year of the introduction of the MontaguChelmsford Reforms. [...] Because credit was and has been the most insistent need of the Indian agriculturist the first efforts of the pioneers of the movment were naturally directed towards the establishment of adequate credit agencies and helping to lighten the burden of rural indebtedness though in later years (after the passing of the India Act II of 1912) co-operation has been applied to other aspects of the econo [...] Of the 18i societies started in the first three years of the introduction of the moNement in Bihar and Orissa 126 had been closed with the advent of the central societies and provision for better supervision. [...] the increase in the number of societies and to the declared policy of the non-official workers in the movement as well as of the department at that time " to redeem all the old' debts of the members of societies so as to free them completely from mahajans " the difficulties for adequate finance were soon felt. [...] The scope of the objects of the by-laws was widened by a circular of the Registrar in 1926 in the manner noted above.i4 The by-laws of the village credit societies in South Orissa which follow the Madras model besides providing for giving loans to members permit also -- (i) the owning in common of costly agricultural implements and animals; (ii) the joint purchase of domestic and agricultural requ