‘सापटी’ भन्दै करदाताको पैँसा सहकारीको भुक्तानीमा–किन, कसरी र कहिलेसम्म ?

काठमाडौँ । वर्षौंदेखि सहकारीको बचत फिर्ताको माग गर्दै आएका पीडितले बचत फिर्ता पाउन थालेका छन् । समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीका साना बचतकर्तालाई प्राथमिकतामा राख्दै सरकारले यही जेठ ४ गतेदेखि रकम फिर्ता गर्न थालेको हो ।

पहिलो चरणमा सरकारले समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीका ३७८ जना बचतकर्ताको रकम फिर्ता गर्‍याे । यससँगै सरकारले बचतकर्तालाई अब क्रमशः वर्गीकरण गरेर बचत फिर्ताको काम गर्ने जनाएको छ ।

समस्याग्रस्त सहकारी व्यवस्थापन समितिका सदस्य सचिव रविन ढकालका अनुसार समितिले पहिलो चरणमा १३ लाख ९९ हजार बचत फिर्ता गरेको छ । जुन रकम १० हजार भन्दा कम बचत फिर्ता माग गरेकाहरुलाई दिइएको हो ।

‘यो प्रारम्भिक चरण हो । अब क्रमशः समितिले बचत फिर्ता गर्दै जानेछ’, ढकालले भने, ‘पाँच लाखभन्दा कम मागदाबी भएकाहरुलाई समितिले बचत फिर्ता गर्दै जान्छ ।’

सरकारको यो कदमले सहकारी पीडितमा केही आशा त दिएको छ । तर, त्यससँगै व्यक्तिको बदमासी राज्यले भरण गर्ने कदम ठिक नभएको भन्दै आलोचना पनि भइरहेको छ ।

बदमासी गर्ने र अर्बौँ रुपैयाँ जथाभावी लगानी गरेर फसाउने, घरजग्गा र निजी प्रयोजनमा उडाएर सञ्चालकहरू फरार हुने अनि त्यसको सजाय कर बुझाउने नागरिकले पाउनुपर्ने ? निजी नाफाका लागि खोलिएका संस्थाहरू डुब्दा राज्यको ढुकुटीबाट भर्पाइ गर्ने कस्तो कदम हो ? सरकारको यो कदम सहकारी संकटको दीर्घकालीन समाधान हो कि करदातामाथि जबरजस्ती थुपारिएको अर्को वित्तीय भार ? लगायत प्रश्न चौतर्फि उठेको छ ।

२५ करोड निकासा, थप दिने तयारी

बचतकर्ताको कमाइ खाएर केही सहकारी सञ्चालक जेल पुगेका छन् भने केही सञ्चालकहरू फरार छन् । दिनहुँजसो सडकमा सहकारी पीडितहरू न्यायको खोजीमा पुग्छन् । सरकारको पछिल्ला तथ्याङ्कले नै ७६ हजार बचतकर्ताको ४५ अर्ब रुपैयाँ समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीमा फसेको छ ।

यसरी समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीमा फसेको रकम फिर्ता गर्न सरकारले पहिलो चरणमा २५ करोड रुपैयाँ निकासा गरेको छ । थप २५ करोड दिने सरकारको तयारी रहेको छ ।

मंगलबार अर्थमन्त्री स्वर्णिम वाग्लेले सहकारी पीडितका लागि अर्थ मन्त्रालयले २५ करोड विनियोजन गरेको पुष्टि गरे । मंगलबार संसदमा बोल्दै अर्थमन्त्रीले भने, ‘बचतकर्ताको समस्या दीर्घकालिनरुपमा समाधान गर्ने र यसको प्रक्रिया पनि शुरु भएको छ । अर्थ मन्त्रालयले २५ करोड रुपैयाँ यसै साल विनियोजन गरेको छ । थप २५ करोड विनियोजन गर्नलाई तयार भएर बसेका छौँ ।’

सरकारले यसरी निकासा गर्ने रकम जनताको करबाट उठाइएको रकम हो । निजी सहकारीको संकट समाधान गर्न राज्यकोष प्रयोग गर्नु तत्काललाई ठिकै भए पनि यसलाई निरन्तता दिन नहुने अर्थविद् चन्द्रमणी अधिकारी बताउँछन् ।

उनी भन्छन्, ‘राज्य भनेको अभिभावक हो । अभिभावकले आफ्ना नागरिकका लागि अभिभाकत्व निभाउनु पर्छ । तर, यसरी सहकारीमा डुबेको पैँसा सरकारले लामो समय दिनु हुँदैन । यसो गर्दा वित्तीय भार पर्छ ।’

बचत फिर्ता गर्नका लागि सरकारले सुरुमा साथ दिए पनि पछि सहकारीबाटै असुल गर्नुपर्ने उनको सुझाव छ । विशेषगरी ऋणीहरुका कारण पनि सहकारी समस्यामा परेकाले त्यस्ता ऋण उठाउन राज्यले ध्यान दिनुपर्ने उनको भनाइ छ ।

मागदाबी र भुक्तानीबीच अकाश–जमिनको फरक

सरकारले पहिलो चरणमा सीमित रकम वितरण सुरु गरे पनि समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीमा अर्बौं रुपैयाँ फसेको छ । हजारौं बचतकर्ता आफ्नो कमाइ फिर्ताको प्रतीक्षामा छन् ।

बचतकर्ताले मागदाबी गरेको रकम र सरकारको कदमबीच आकाश जमिनको फरक छ । समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीमा ४५ अर्ब माग हुँदा सरकारले २५ करोड दिने भन्नु मागदाबीको एक प्रतिशत पनि होइन ।

समस्याग्रस्त सहकारी संस्थाका सदस्यहरुलाई तत्काल बचत फिर्ता गर्ने प्रयोजनका लागि व्यवस्थापन समितिमा नेपाल सरकारले एक चक्रिय राहत कोषको स्थापना गरेको छ । उक्त कोषमा सरकारबाट प्राप्त रकम, सम्बन्धित संस्थाबाट शोधभर्ना बापत फिर्ता भएको रकम र अन्य स्रोतबाट प्राप्त रकम रहने भनिएको छ ।

यस्तो अवस्थामा राज्यले राहत दिन खोज्नु मानवीय संवेदनासँग जोडिएको कदम देखिए पनि दीर्घकालीन असरबारे प्रश्न उठाइरहेका छन् । नागरिकले राज्यलाई बुझाएको कर विकास निर्माण, स्वास्थ्य, र शिक्षामा खर्च हुनुपर्ने हो । तर, निजी व्यवसाय र केही व्यक्तिको ठगीको भर्पाइ गर्न राज्यको ढुकुटी रित्याउनु अन्यायपूर्ण भएको टिप्पणी भइरहेको छ ।

विज्ञका अनुसार यदि सरकारले नै सहकारीको बचत फिर्ता गरिदिने हो भने भविष्यमा अन्य सहकारी सञ्चालकहरूलाई पनि पैसा खाए सरकारले तिरिहाल्छ भन्ने गलत प्रोत्साहन मिल्छ । यसले वित्तीय अनुशासन पूर्ण रूपमा भत्काउने खतरा रहने विज्ञको तर्क छ । सहकारीकै रकम असुल गरेर बचत फिर्ता गर्नुपर्ने विज्ञको सुझाव छ ।

समितिले सहकारीको रकम असुल गरेर पनि बचत फिर्ताको काम गरिरहेको छ । गएको बैशाख महिनामा समितिले १३ वटा सहकारीको तीन करोड ४० लाख रुपैयाँ ऋण असुल गरेर २९ लाख ९ हजार बचत मिलान गरेको छ । पहिलो चरणमा बचत फिर्ताका लागि बचतकर्तामध्ये १२ सहकारीका मागदाबीकर्ताको मागदाबी विवरण र बैंक खाता रुजु गर्ने कार्य भइरहेको समितिले जनाएको छ ।

समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीको सम्पत्ति बिक्री गरेर र ऋणीहरुबाट ऋण उठाएर बचत फिर्ताको काम समितिले गर्दै आएको छ । तर, समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीको सम्पत्ति फेला पार्न नै नसकिने अवस्था समेत रहेको समितिका पूर्व अध्यक्ष श्रीमण कुमार गौतम बताउँछन् ।

उनका अनुसार सहकारीका २५ जना बचतकर्ताहरूले सहकारी संस्था समस्याग्रस्त घोषणा गर्नका लागि आवेदन दिएपछि समस्याग्रस्त घोषणाको प्रक्रिया सुरु हुन्छ । पहिले दुवै पक्षलाई राखेर छलफल गर्दा सञ्चालकहरूले बचत फिर्ताको समय माग्दा समय दिइन्छ ।

दिएको समयमा फिर्ता गर्न सकेन भने त्यो संस्थालाई समस्याग्रस्त घोषणा गरिन्छ । यी सबै गर्नका लागि एक–डेढ वर्ष लाग्छ । तर, यो बीचमा सञ्चालकहरूले बदमासी गर्ने गरेको उनको अनुभव छ ।

गौतम भन्छन्, ‘सञ्चालकले शुरुमा बचत फिर्ता गर्छु भनेर समय माग्छन् । तर, केही सहकारीका सञ्चालकहरूले बचतकर्ताहरूको रकम फिर्ता गर्न भन्दा सम्पत्ति बिक्री गरेर भाग्ने गरे । पछि सम्पत्ति नै नभेटिने, ऋण पनि आफैले लिएर संस्था खोक्रो पार्ने र समस्याग्रस्त घोषणा प्रक्रियामै छोडेर फरार हुने धेरै भेटिए । यस्ता समस्याले गर्दा बचतको रकम फिर्ता गर्न गाह्रो हुने गरेको छ ।’

उनका अनुसार कतिपय सहकारीले बिना धितो करोडौँ ऋण दिएका छन् । त्यो पनि नक्कली ऋण खडा गरेका घटना थुप्रै छन् । धेरैजसो समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीका ऋणीहरुले वर्षौँदेखि ऋण तिरेका छैनन् । पटक पटक सूचना गर्दा पनि ऋण तिर्न आउँदैनन ।

समितिलाई सबैभन्दा ठूलो चुनौती नै ऋण उठाउने रहेको उनको अनुभव छ । ‘पहिले सरकारले दिएको पैसा दिँदै गर्ने र पछि तिनै सहकारीबाट उठाएर पैँसा सरकारलाई फिर्ता गर्ने भनिएपनि यो सहज छैन । समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीको पैँसा असुली गर्न नै समस्या छ । मागदाबी र असुलीबीच ठूलो भिन्नता छ’, गौतमले भने ।

सरकारको प्रष्टीकरण–सापटीका रुपमा मात्रै प्रयोग गर्छौँ

सहकारी सञ्चालककले ठगेको रकम राज्य कोषबाट भुक्तानी गर्ने विषयबारे चौतर्फी विरोध भएपछि सरकारले सापटिकारुपमा मात्रै चलाउने दिने स्पष्ट पारेको छ ।

अर्थमन्त्री वाग्लेले यसबारे स्पष्ट पार्दै सरकारले अहिले अस्थायी सहजीकरण मात्रै गरिदिने बताए । उनले भने, ‘यो राज्य कोषबाट बाँडिएको रकम होइन । त्यस्तो वितरणमा हामी विश्वास गर्दैनाै । सहकारीकै सम्पत्तिलाई बेचेर चक्रिय कोषमा राखेर त्यसबाटै बचतकर्ताको रकम जानेछ । सरकारले अहिले अस्थायी सहजीकरण मात्रै गरिदिएको हो ।’

सहकारी अध्यादेशमा पनि यसबारे व्यवस्थापन समितिले कोषमा सरकारबाट प्राप्त रकम क्रमश समस्याग्रस्त संस्थाको अधिकार क्षेत्रमा रहेका ऋणीको चल अचल सम्पत्ति र अन्य स्रोतबाट असुल भई आएको रकमबाट क्रमशः शोधभर्ना गर्दै जाने भनिएको छ ।

सोहीअनुसार समितिले सरकारको रकम सापटी लिने र पछि ती सहकारीका ऋणीबाट ऋण असुल गरेर फिर्ता गर्ने समितिका सदस्यसचिव ढकालले जानकारी दिए । उनले भने, ‘सरकारको रकम सापटीकारुपमा चलाउँछाैँ । पछि त्यसलाई समस्याग्रस्त सहकारीबाटै असुर गरेर दिनेछौँ ।’

यसरी सहकारीको फसेको रकम उठाउनका लागि ऋणीमाथि समितिले दबाद दिएको छ । समितिले ऋणीहरुको तीनपुस्ते विवरण सार्वजनिक गरिरहेको छ । ठूला ऋणीहरुकोृ नामावली प्रकाशन गरे पनि उनीहरु ऋण तिर्नका लागि सम्पर्कमा भने आएका छैनन् ।

फाट्टफुट्ट ऋणीहरु मात्रै ऋण तिर्न समिति आउने गरेको समितिका सदस्य सचिव ढकालले बताए । उनले सम्पर्कका आएका ऋणीहरु मध्ये ओरियन्टल सहकारीका साना ऋणीहरु मात्रै रहेको र ठूला ऋणीहरु भने सूचना प्रकाशित पछि पनि सम्पर्कमा नआएको बताए ।

Kathmandu. Victims who have been demanding the return of their savings from cooperatives for years have started getting their savings back. The government has started returning the money from Jestha 40, giving priority to small savers of troubled cooperatives.

In the first phase, the government returned the money of 378 savers of troubled cooperatives. Along with this, the government has stated that it will now gradually classify the savers and return their savings.

According to Rabin Dhakal, member secretary of the troubled cooperative management committee, the committee has returned savings of Rs. 1.399 million in the first phase. The amount was given to those who had requested the return of savings of less than Rs. 10,000.

"This is the initial stage. Now the committee will gradually return the savings," Dhakal said. "The committee will return the savings to those with claims of less than five hundred thousand."

This government move has given some hope to the victims of cooperatives. However, it is also being criticized for not being right to have the state compensate for the misdeeds of an individual.

Should citizens who commit fraud and invest billions of rupees indiscriminately, flee after squandering their properties and personal property, and pay taxes for the punishment? What kind of step is it to bail out private profit-making institutions from the state treasury when they go under? Is this government's move a long-term solution to the cooperative crisis or another financial burden forcibly imposed on taxpayers? Questions have been raised from all sides.

250 million released, preparation to give more

Some cooperative directors have been jailed for stealing the earnings of savers, while others are absconding. Victims of cooperatives are on the streets every day seeking justice. According to the latest government figures, 45 billion rupees of 76,000 savers are trapped in troubled cooperatives.

The government has released Rs 250 million in the first phase to return the money trapped in the troubled cooperatives. The government is preparing to provide an additional Rs 250 million.

On Tuesday, Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle confirmed that the Finance Ministry has allocated Rs 250 million for cooperative victims. Speaking in Parliament on Tuesday, the Finance Minister said, "The problem of savers will be solved in the long term and the process for this has also begun. The Finance Ministry has allocated Rs 250 million this year. We are ready to allocate another Rs 250 million."

The amount released by the government in this way is money raised from the people's taxes. Economist Chandramani Adhikari says that while it is right to use state funds to solve the crisis of private cooperatives for the time being, it should not be allowed to continue indefinitely.

He says, 'The state is a guardian. Guardians should act as guardians for their citizens. However, the government should not give money that has been sunk in cooperatives for a long time. Doing so will create a financial burden.'

He suggests that even if the government initially supports the return of savings, it should be recovered from the cooperative later. He says that the state should pay attention to collecting such loans, especially since cooperatives are in trouble due to debtors.

The gap between demand and payment is immense.

Even though the government has started distributing limited amounts in the first phase, billions of rupees are stuck in troubled cooperatives. Thousands of savers are waiting to get their earnings back.

There is a huge gap between the amount demanded by savers and the government's action. When the troubled cooperatives demand Rs 45 billion, the government's offer of Rs 250 million is not even one percent of the demand.

The Government of Nepal has established a revolving relief fund in the management committee for the purpose of immediately returning savings to members of troubled cooperatives. The fund is said to contain the amount received from the government, the amount returned as reimbursement from the concerned organization, and the amount received from other sources.

In such a situation, the state's attempt to provide relief seems to be a step linked to human compassion, but questions are being raised about the long-term impact. The taxes paid by citizens to the state should be spent on development, health, and education. However, it is being commented that it is unfair to empty the state treasury to compensate for the fraud of private businesses and a few individuals.

According to experts, if the government itself returns the savings of cooperatives, it will give a false incentive to other cooperative operators in the future that the government will pay if they take money. Experts argue that this risks completely destroying financial discipline. Experts suggest that the savings should be returned by recovering the money from the cooperatives.

The committee is also working to recover the savings by recovering the amount from the cooperatives. In the month of Baisakh, the committee has recovered Rs 34 million from 13 cooperatives and reconciled the savings to Rs 2.9 million. The committee has stated that in the first phase, the claim details and bank accounts of the claimants of 12 cooperatives among the savers are being verified for the return of savings.

The committee has been working to recover savings by selling the assets of troubled cooperatives and collecting loans from borrowers. However, the committee's former chairman, Shriman Kumar Gautam, says that it is sometimes impossible to find the assets of troubled cooperatives.

According to him, the process of declaring the cooperative problematic begins after 25 savers of the cooperative apply to declare the cooperative problematic. First, both parties are discussed and time is given when the directors request time to return the savings.

If the money is not returned within the given time, the organization is declared problematic. It takes one to one and a half years to do all this. However, in the meantime, he has experienced that the directors have been cheating.

Gautam says, "Initially, the directors ask for time to return the savings. However, some cooperative directors sell their assets and run away instead of returning the money to the savers. Later, many were found to have no assets, took on debt themselves, emptied the organization, and fled, leaving the problematic declaration process behind. Due to such problems, it has become difficult to return the savings."

According to him, some cooperatives have given loans worth crores without collateral. That too, there are many cases of fake loans being created. Most of the borrowers of problematic cooperatives have not paid their loans for years. Despite repeated notices, they do not come to pay the loans.

He says the biggest challenge for the committee is collecting loans. "Although it is said that the government will first give the money and then collect it from the cooperatives and return the money to the government, it is not easy. The problem is in collecting the money from the troubled cooperatives. There is a big difference between demand and collection," Gautam said.

Government clarification: We only use it as collateral

Following widespread opposition to the issue of paying the amount embezzled by cooperative directors from state funds, the government has clarified that it will only provide it as a loan.

Finance Minister Wagle clarified this and said that the government will only provide temporary facilitation at this time. He said, 'This is not an amount distributed from the state treasury. We do not believe in such distribution. The cooperative's assets will be sold and placed in a revolving fund, from which the savers' money will go. The government has only provided temporary facilitation at this time.'

The Cooperative Ordinance also states that the management committee will gradually replenish the funds received from the government in the fund from the movable and immovable properties of the debtors under the jurisdiction of the problematic organization and from other sources.

Accordingly, the committee will borrow money from the government and later recover the loan from the debtors of those cooperatives, informed the committee's member-secretary Dhakal. He said, "We will use the government's money as a loan. Later, we will repay it by collecting it from the troubled cooperatives."

Thus, the committee has put pressure on the debtors to collect the stuck amount of the cooperative. The committee is making public the details of the three generations of the debtors. Although the list of big debtors has been published, they have not come in contact to pay the debt.

Dhakal, member secretary of the committee, said that only small borrowers come to the committee to pay off their loans. He said that among the borrowers who have contacted, only small borrowers of Oriental Cooperative have come, while large borrowers have not come in contact even after the notice was published.