Achievements

The Sridharpur Co-operative Bank (SCOB)

The Sridharpur Co-operative Bank (SCOB), a Primary Agricultural Credit Society registered in 1918,
is described as having grown from a tiny seed into a
big banyan tree and has truly become a
Model Cooperative Society in the country.

Financial Performance and Operational Uniqueness

• Profitability: The society has never incurred loss since 1918.
• Autonomy: It became financially self-supported in 1938 and has not been dependent on financial support from Financial Institutions, including Banks, since 1933. It received no Govt. share assistance since inception.
• Liability Status: It maintains the unique status of Unlimited Liability, being possibly the only society of its nature in the State of West Bengal.
• Growth: The society has consistently accelerated its growth and development without any setback.
• Prudential Norms: The society makes 100% provision for the entire overdue, exceeding the RBI prudential norms.
• Farsightedness: The management created a ‘Bad Debt Fund’ in 1935 and a ‘Building Fund’ in 1936, and accepted deposits from members way back in 1918–19.
• Governance: The Board, which includes one employees’ representative and one professional engineer, holds 52 meetings a year (more than one per week).
• Member Benefits: Declared rebates ranging from 50% to 80% (from 1998 to date) and ensures fulfillment of member requirements through a Single Window System.

Business Growth and Infrastructure Expansion

• Diversification: Engages in 19 different activities including agriculture, LPG, insurance, banking, and managing NSC/KVP/LIC Policies.
• Cold Storage: Constructed and expanded its Cold Store in phases (1977, 1979, 2007), achieving a total capacity of 14,930 M.T.
• Other Infrastructure: Constructed a godown at the Cold Store yard at Sankarpur in 1985 (Capacity 80,000 Qnts) and opened an L.P.G Unit at Denha in 2000.
• Branch Network: Expanded to 8 branches including Radhakantapur (1967), Bohar (1976), Matiswar (1978), Madhyamgram (1981), and Burdwan (1991).

Social Dimension (Community Contributions)

Implementing the 7th Cooperative Principle, ‘Concern for the community’, the society successfully completed 20 major social activities:

• Infrastructure: Constructed a 9 KM metalled road from Radhakantapur to Bohar with Zilla Parishad, benefiting about 37,000 people, and ensures preventive maintenance of roads.
• Irrigation: Installed 39 Mini Deep Tube Wells covering 336 acres, converting the area to a Triple cropping pattern.
• Education: Helped set up three Primary School Buildings (Sridharpur, Baksa, and Sarra), constructed one library building, maintains a Book Bank, donates to educational institutions, and pays stipends to top students (@ Rs.10,800 per year).
• Health and Water Supply: Set up six tube wells with cylinders for drinking water, donated Rs.1.50 lakh for water provision, and Rs.2 lakhs for a Sub-Health Center in collaboration with IFFCO.
• Facilities: Constructed one post office building, set up a Children’s Park at Sridharpur (with IFFCO), and donated land for a playground.

Recognition and Key Dates

• Awards: Received the Deshmanya B.C. Roy Cup (1957), Deshmanya B.C. Roy’s Shield (1962), Burdwan District Co-operative Shield (1958), and Burdwan Central Co-operative Bank Shield (1960).
• Visitors: Hosted numerous notable visitors including officials from the Reserve Bank of India, the Ford Foundation (U.S.A.), the International Co-operative Alliance, the M.D. of NCDC (New Delhi), and the Finance Minister of West Bengal, Ashim Das Gupta.