Bilaspur Begins Action Against 323 Cooperative Loan Defaulters Over Rs 70 Crore

The Cooperation Department has begun strict action against people who took loans from cooperative societies but failed to deposit the outstanding amount for a long period in Bilaspur district of Himachal Pradesh. The department has identified 323 loan default cases linked to cooperative societies in the district, involving outstanding dues of around Rs 70 crore.

Legal proceedings are now being carried out to recover the pending amount from the defaulters. The action includes attaching property and issuing arrest warrants against those who have failed to clear their dues.

Bilaspur district has a total of 90 cooperative societies. The 323 loan default cases have been registered in 17 of these societies. The department is taking execution action under the Himachal Pradesh Land Revenue Act, 1954.

Under this process, action is being taken against defaulters who have not deposited the outstanding amount. Depending on the case, this includes attaching their property and issuing arrest warrants.

According to departmental information, during the past three months, cases in 40 loan default matters have been sent to the concerned revenue officers and tehsildars to begin the process of property attachment. The department has already taken action to attach the property of defaulters in several cases earlier as well.

In 20 cases, the defaulters did not deposit the outstanding amount even after their property was attached. The department has therefore sought permission from the Divisional Commissioner, Mandi, to auction the properties in these cases.

Permission has been received in 8 of these cases. The department is waiting for approval in the remaining cases.

Arrest warrants in 13 cases

Bhaskar Kalia, Assistant Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Bilaspur, said legal action was being taken against loan defaulters from cooperative societies as per the rules.

He said arrest warrants had been issued against 13 loan defaulters. According to the department, these people had neither repaid the loans nor remained present during hearings in the court organised by the District Registrar (Cooperative Society).

Instructions have been issued to the police administration to get these warrants served by 27 November or before that. The police will arrest the concerned defaulters and produce them before the department. Further action will then be taken.

The department said the action was linked to the recovery of money owed to cooperative societies. The cases involve members who had taken loans from the societies and had not deposited the dues within the required period.

Appeal to members to repay dues

Bhaskar Kalia said cooperative societies hold the deposits of ordinary people and their members. He said members who take loans from cooperative societies have a responsibility to deposit their entire outstanding amount within the stipulated time.

He said timely repayment would help protect the deposits of other members. It would also ensure that all members continue to receive the facilities available through cooperative societies.

The department’s action in Bilaspur covers the 323 loan default cases recorded in 17 cooperative societies, with around Rs 70 crore outstanding. It includes property attachment in 40 cases, the proposed auction of property in 20 cases where dues remained unpaid after attachment, and arrest warrants against 13 defaulters.