iffco.nic.in: IFFCO – Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited

IFFCO is a leading player in India’s fertiliser industry at present. IFFCO is making substantial contribution to the efforts of Indian Government to increase food-grain production in the country. The Co-operative sector in India was responsible for distribution of 70 per cent of fertilisers consumed in the country during mid- sixties. This Sector had sufficient infrastructure to deal out fertilizers but had no its own production facilities and therefore dependent on public/private Sectors for supplies. A new cooperative society was conceived to specifically cater to the requirements of farmers, to overcome this lacuna and to bridge the demand supply gap in the country. Through this unique venture, farmers of the country created new institution to safeguard their interests with their own Co-operative Societies.

At present, the number of co-operative societies linked with IFFCO and have risen from 57 in 1967 to 39,824. On 3 November 1967, Indian Farmers Fertiliser Co-operative Limited (IFFCO) was registered as a Multi-unit Co-operative Society. The Society is considered to be registered as a Multistate Cooperative Society on the enactment of the Multistate Cooperative Societies act 1984 & 2002. The Society is primarily engaged in manufacture and distribution of fertilisers. A broad frame work is provided by the byelaws of the Society for the activities of IFFCO as a Cooperative Society. In 1975, IFFCO commissioned an ammonia, urea complex at Kalol and the NPK/DAP plant at Kandla both in the state of Gujarat. In 1981, another ammonia, urea complex was set up at Phulpur in the state of Uttar Pradesh. At Aonla, the ammonia, urea unit was commissioned in 1988.

Cooperative Principles are guidelines by which cooperatives put their values into practice. The Cooperative principles are:

• Voluntary and open membership
• Democratic member Control
• Education, Training and Information
• Member economic participation
• Autonomy and Independence
• Concern for community
• Cooperation among Cooperatives

National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) and National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) are the important agencies, which are working for promotion of cooperative movement in India.

How to become a member of IFFCO?

Persons, who may become member of a Cooperative society at State level (as per the State Act) should be:

• An individual competent to Contract, attained majority and is of sound mind and belongs to a class of persons if any for whom the society is formed as per its bye-laws
• A society registered or deemed to be registered under the Cooperative Societies Act
• The Government

No individual shall be eligible for admission as a member of a federal society.

Persons who may become members of a Multi-State Cooperative Society: (As per Multi-State /cooperative Societies Act, 2002)

• An individual, competent to contract under section 11 of the Indian contract Act, 1972
• Any multi-state Cooperative society or any Cooperative society
• The Central Government
• A State Government
• National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
• Any other Corporation armed or controlled by the Government

No individual person shall be eligible for admission as a member of a national Cooperative society or a federal Cooperative.

Steps involved for forming a Cooperative Society under a state act:

• Prescribed application duly filled in shall be made to the Registrar of Cooperative societies
• The application shall be accompanied by four copies of the proposed Bye-laws of the society
• Where all the applicants are individuals, the number of applicants shall not be less than ten
• The application shall be signed by every one of such applicants if the applicants are individuals
• If the applicant is a society, by a member duly authorised by such society

To form a Multi-State Cooperative society,

• An application for registration of a Multi-State Cooperative society shall be made in the prescribed form
• The application shall be signed by:
• In the case of a multi-state Cooperative society of which all the members are individuals, by at least fifty persons from each of the states concerned
• In case the members are Cooperative Societies, by duly authorised representatives on behalf of at least five such societies as are not registered in the same state
• In case the members are other Multi-State Cooperative Societies and other Cooperative Societies, by duly authorised representatives of each of such societies
• If the members are cooperative societies or multi-state Cooperative societies and individuals, by at least (i) fifty persons, being individuals from each of the two states or more and; (ii) one Cooperative society each from two states or more or one Multi-state Cooperative society
• The application shall be accompanied by four copies of the proposed Bye-laws.
  • Name of the proposed multi-state cooperative society
  • Head Quarters and address to be registered
  • Area of operation
  • Main objectives
  • A certificate from the Bank
  • Stating credit balance there in favour of the proposed Multi-State Cooperative Society
• The relevant application forms can be obtained from the Office of Registrar of Cooperatives nearest to you.

Laws regulating Cooperative Societies in India are:

• State Cooperative Societies Acts of individual states
• Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 for the multi-state Cooperative societies with Area of operation in more than one State
  • A multi-state Cooperative Society means a society registered or deemed to be registered under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 and includes a national Cooperative society or a Federal Cooperative.

As per the bye laws of IFFCO, no individual shall be eligible for membership of IFFCO. The membership of IFFCO will be open to the following:

• National Cooperative Federations of agricultural credit/marketing/processing/supply and other agricultural Cooperative Societies
• State level Cooperative Federations of agricultural credit/marketing/processing/supply and other agricultural Cooperative Societies
• District, Regional and Primary Cooperative credit/marketing/processing/supply and other agricultural Cooperative Societies including Cane Unions
• Primary Agricultural Cooperative credit, service, multi-purpose, cane, irrigation, farming societies and other village agricultural societies
• National Cooperative Development Corporation
• Govt. of India, to the extent that the Board/General Body of IFFCO require and request
• Public Financing Institutions to the extent required /requested by the Board /General Body of IFFCO
• Any cooperative society activities of which are augmentative to the activities and conducive to overall growth of IFFCO
  • The application form for new admission must be filled in English in capital letters
  • Resolution of the Managing Committee for IFFCO membership should be attached with the application form
  • The application form should be recommended by the concerned Assistant / Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies
  • The credential and existence of the society should be certified by the State Marketing Manager and the application form should be routed through concerned IFFCO’s state office
  • The Clause of IFFCO’s Byelaws under which the applicant society is entitled for membership should be clearly indicated by the concerned IFFCO’s SMM’s office
  • The Demand Draft for the exact amount for share capital and admission fee in favour of IFFCO payable at New Delhi should be enclosed with the application form. Admission fee for village level societies is Rs 25 and for others Rs 100
• National/state/regional federations and large processing cooperatives such as cooperative sugar mills, cooperative cane unions are eligible for Rs one lakh share category
• District and primary marketing/processing/supply and other cooperative societies including cane unions are eligible for Rs ten thousand share category
• Primary cooperatives at village level are eligible for Rs one thousand category
• The relevant application forms can be obtained from nearest Area Office / State Office of IFFCO

Benefits of becoming members of IFFCO:

By contributing Rs. 10 Lakh and above in the Share Capital of IFFCO subject to the provisions of bye laws of IFFCO, the member society can send their nominee as Direct Delegate on Representative General Body. They can be a delegate of the General Body through the election process as per IFFCO Bye-laws, in case contribution to the share capital is less than Rs 10 lakh. In the Annual General Meetings/General Body Meetings, these direct delegates and elected delegates are entitled to participate and among them 8 Directors are elected, who will represent on the Board of Directors of IFFCO. Additionally, the Members are entitled to get dividend on the equity held by them. Dividend @ 20% was given to the Members in 2001-02. Additionally, in plant visit programs, state/zonal advisory committee meetings, local extension programs, etc. the RGB members also eligible to participate .

Representative General Body (RGB) of IFFCO:

The Representative General Body (RGB) includes members, who are representing entire spectrum of members of IFFCO. IFFCO is guided by the RGB in charting out a path to realize the objectives as enshrined in bye laws of IFFCO. The RGB performs some of the duties, which are as follows:

• Election and removal of the members of the Board of Directors
• Amendment or repeal of any existing Bye-laws or the enactment of any new Bye-laws in accordance with the procedure prescribed in the Act and the Rules
• Consideration and adoption of Annual Report and Statement of Accounts, review of activities of current year and approval of Program of Activities of ensuing year presented by the Board of Directors, Approval of Annual Budget
• Distribution of net profits including dividend
• Creation of specific reserves and other funds; Review of actual utilization of reserve and other funds

When you visit www.www.iffco.nic.in, you will see the navigation such as “Home”, “About us”, “Awards”, “Fertilizers”, “Cooperative services”, “Empowering Farmers”, and “Our Venture”. The website is available in two languages such as Hindi and English. You can see the latest news, tenders, award and milestones, E-Procurement, global compact program, and highlights. You will also see the new products of IFFCO such as urea, NPK, DAP, NP, Bio Fert. and also see the production unit.

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