CURTORIM: The farmers from Curtorim who gave all their trust and belief to the Madgaum Urban Cooperative Bank are facing deceit as their monies are stuck in the bank for last one-and-a-half years.
With the harvesting of the kharif season on the horizon and the tenants associations having spent up their own monies, the hope of a better Rabi season looks bleak.
There are five majorly tenanted tracts of lands in Curtorim of which 4 are active and have an average of 50 to 70 farmers under its aegis. The Madgaum Urban Cooperative Bank has its branch in Curtorim since its inception and has been household name before the advent of the nationalised banks. Today, the bank is taking its last breath with so many investors, farmers in case of Curtorim who have their money parked at this sick unit.
On Sunday, the auction of the fields under the Curuguni Tenants Association which is at least 10 to 12 ha in size was conducted and allotted to farmers.
At least 30 farmers attended the auction. Historically, the auctions were conducted by the association and the money from the auction was deposited into the account maintained at Madgaum Urban Cooperative Bank, Curtorim branch. This money is later utilised for hiring workers, buying equipment and for the upkeep of the fields.
The need for the money increases for the kharif season as the fields which are out of order due to the rains need to be prepared for the process of pulling in river water for cultivation and retaining it for the crop. This demands a lot of labour force and money for various works.
Two out of four tenants associations have their accounts in the Madgaum Urban Cooperative Bank and have been unable to withdraw the money for the works that they need to undertake. President of the Curuguni Tenants Association Francis Dias said, “The last surviving first generation farmer of the Curuguni fields died recently. If the money of farmers is going to be stuck in banks in this manner then how will agriculture prosper further?”
He said as he is the president of the association he has put his money for now to make sure the fields are ready for the next season. However, there are farmers who need their money for various other works.
Farmer Joaquim Viegas from Curtorim said, “We gave our trust to the bank for decades and we get betrayed in return. We need the money before October for the preparation”.
In fact not just the tenants the Curtorim Gymkhana, Curtorim Union, Farmers Club and other individuals have their money in the bank.
Roland Martins of the GOACAN which works for the consumers welfare said, “Account holders are also consumers and they have to be informed well about the affairs of the bank. This similar problem had happened with Mapusa Urban Cooperative Bank where the depositors were kept in the dark regarding the affairs of the bank,” he said.
Farmer Manuel Fernandes said, “The association president has today somehow compensated for the works. But, it will not be the same in case of some other president as he would not be willing to spend up money like it is done today.”
