Under the leadership of Shri. Atul Shirodkar, MEDC President, MEDC organized Conference on Urban Cooperative Bank on the Theme Time to Re-Engineer, Time to Re-Invent on 14th June 2024 at 4th Floor, Rangaswar Hall, Y.B.Chavan Centre, Nariman Point, Mumbai – 400 021 CA. Abhijit Kelkar, MEDC Vice President was the Conference Convenor.
The Conference was inaugurated by Chief Guest Shri. Anoop Kumar, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary of Co-operation & Marketing, Government of Maharashtra and Guest of Honour and Keynote Speaker Shri. Satish Marathe, Director, Central Board, Reserve Bank of India.
Shri. Anoop Kumar emphasized the crucial role of Urban Cooperative banks and how the state government and the central bank i.e. the Reserve Bank of India are there to support the UCBs and work in conjunction for efficient functioning of the banks. He also informed about Hon’ble Shri. Amit Shah, Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of Co-operation, Government of India vision about development the Primary Agriculture Credit Societies. He mentioned about the digitization of the PACS in coming years. Challenges that the sector faces are complexities in policy articulation, non-stringent regulation and audit, etc. He further stated that customer should be at the epicenter of the Cooperative banking functionalities. He emphasized the need of the Cooperative banks to reform them.
Shri. Atul Shirodkar felicitated Shri. Anoop Kumar and delivered the opening and welcome remarks. He briefed the delegates about MEDC and further shed light on the importance of the Urban Cooperative Bank conference and its theme. He states how the Cooperative banking sector needs to adapt to the changes in order to grow.
Shri. Satish Marathe delved into the challenges, current scenario and way forward in Urban Cooperative Banking sector. He emphasized that the landscape of urban Cooperative banking is changing and time has come to face these challenges. He explained the historical importance and inception of the Cooperative banks. He informed that the Cooperative banks were always under a dual control i.e. of the central bank and that of the state government. He further mentioned that the Cooperative Banks should address fundamental changes. He concluded the session by stressing that the Government of India and RBI are in support of the cooperative banks for building a robust financial ecosystem.
There were four Technical sessions Corporate Governance and Best Practices; Asset Liability Management and Financial Reporting; Regulatory issues and challenges; Technology and Future of Banking which was conducted by session coordinators CA. Abhijit Kelkar, MEDC Vice President and Conference Convenor; Shri. Sachin Itkar, Vice President, MEDC, Ms. Shri. Jaideep Pawar, MEDC State Committee Chairman; Ms. Anindita Chatterjee, MEDC Committee Member and the esteemed speakers were Ms. Subbalakshmi M. Shirali, MD & CEO, TJSB Bank Ltd.; Shri. Mohan Tanksale, Career Banker & Ex- Chairman & MD, Central Bank of India; Shri. Mukund. M. Chitale, Past President, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI); CA. Dhananjay Gokhale, Partner, Dhananjay J. Gokhale & Co.; Shri. Sanjay Kumar, General Manager, RBI; CA. Tusharkanti Dable, Director Nagpur Nagrik Sahakari Bank Ltd. & Secretary Vidharbha Urban Banks Co-operative Association Ltd. ; CA. Chandrashekhar Vaze, Director & Former Chairman, Janakalyan Sahakari Bank Ltd.; Shri. Sudhakar Atre, Former Faculty, Management Development Institute (Bank of India) Mumbai; CA. Yashwant Kasar, Vice Chairman, Cosmos Bank Ltd.; Ms. Shruti Sidhaye, Founder, Lakshya Academy for Banks; Shri. Heramb Damle, Director, Trust Fintech Limited; respectively.
With a footfall of 200+ attendees, 15 + luminaries, 4 sponsors, the conference achieved huge success and fruitful discussions were centered on the Urban Cooperative Banks.
