Role of Cooperatives in Strengthening Dalits and Preserving Commons

A cooperative society is an organization established to provide financial support to its members, who collectively raise capital to assist those in need. It primarily safeguards vulnerable sections of rural communities from exploitation by affluent individuals and corporations. For the rural economy to develop rapidly and sustainably, cooperative societies must play a proactive and constructive role in addressing the needs of the population.

Features of Cooperative Societies:

The key features of cooperative societies are as follows:

• Voluntary and Open Membership – Cooperatives are open to all members of the rural community, allowing individuals to join or leave the organization at their discretion. Members who wish to exit must provide notice before doing so. Cooperatives do not discriminate based on religion, caste, gender, creed, or language.
• Registration – Cooperatives must undergo a legal registration process to become a recognized entity. Only after registration can they enter into contracts or acquire property.
• Limited Liability – The liability of members is restricted to the amount of capital they have invested, ensuring the protection of their financial interests.
• Government Supervision – State governments regularly oversee cooperative societies to ensure the protection of members’ financial interests. These organizations are required to maintain accurate financial records, which are audited independently to prevent financial malpractice.
• Democratic Principles – Cooperative societies operate on democratic principles, granting voting rights to all members. Members elect a managing committee responsible for making key decisions regarding the organization’s operations.

A Case study

• In various parts of the country, village common lands have become prime targets for land grabs. In rural India, land, whether privately owned or communally used, remains a crucial asset. States like Punjab are no exception to this issue; common property resources such as land and groundwater have steadily declined.
• Despite having legal rights to village common land under the Punjab Village Common Lands (Regulation) Act of 1964, which reserves 33 percent of shamlat land for Scheduled Castes (SCs), Dalit farmers have been denied access by powerful landlords. These landlords use fraudulent tactics such as fielding dummy candidates during auctions, failing to announce auction dates, and tampering with village revenue records. Dalit farmers also face various forms of atrocities, including denial of access to drinking water, healthcare, and fodder, as well as social boycotts, violence, and even murder and rape.
• Women are particularly affected, as they rely heavily on common land for essential resources like food, fodder (barseen), and foliage. In response to these crises and injustices, Punjab is slowly witnessing the agrarian mobilization of small and marginal farmers across the state.
• A distinctive aspect of these mobilizations is the active involvement of Dalit women, which marks a significant shift from past movements. This growing movement is being led by farmer collectives like the Zamin Prapti Sangharsh Committee (ZPSC).
• Through such collectives, farmers pool resources like land, labor, irrigation infrastructure, and agricultural inputs, enabling them to overcome constraints and increase their bargaining power, especially for marginalized groups. Collective farming by Dalit communities emerges as both a result of their struggles and a potential solution to secure access to common agricultural land in a highly stratified social structure defined by caste and patriarchy.

Cooperative societies play a pivotal role in mobilizing Dalits and safeguarding village common lands.

The End of the Blog: Role of Cooperatives in Strengthening Dalits and Preserving Commons