About Us

Kerala State Federation of SC/ST Development Co-operatives Ltd (Registration No. 4351), known as SC/ST Federation in short, is the Apex Cooperative Federation of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes primary co-operative societies in the State of Kerala, constituted and registered under Kerala State Cooperative Societies Act of 1969 on 22^nd of July 1981. The Federation commenced functioning on 5^th October 1981. There are about 1000 SC/ST societies in Kerala, out of which 671 primary societies are affiliated to the Federation. Of the total affiliations, 101 member societies are Scheduled Tribe Development Societies.

The management of the board is primarily vested with the Board of Directors comprising 23 members, out of which 14 members are elected representatives of the member societies and the remaining 7 members are Government officials as Ex-officio members including Managing Director and two of the members nominated by Government.

In line with the stated objectives and permitted activities, SC/ST Federation has undertaken various businesses ventures and is in the continuous process of improving its services to the benefit of the end beneficiary community of scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the state.

SC/ST Federation also facilitates marketing of Minor Forest Produces (MFP) collected by the member societies through their individual tribal members. Federation is known for its long-standing association with both central and state governmental organizations including TRIFED, as their implementing agency for various developmental projects for the SC/ST sector in the state of Kerala.

SC/ST federation is also providing financial assistance and business credit facilities to its affiliated societies. Primary affiliated societies are provided with financial assistance through the federation to meet their working capital requirements for MFP activities and other business activities undertaken through governmental plan schemes.

Thriving to move forward and brand its name a synonymous for institutional support for Development of Schedules Castes and Schedules Tribes in the state, Federation is in the process implementing Vision -2020 action plan for improvisation of its services and beneficiary schemes by adapting professional management techniques and process automation for achieving optimal efficiency in its functional areas and thus impart more benefits to its member societies and scheduled castes and tribes in the state.

ENABLING ACT

Kerala State Federation of SC/ST Development Co-operatives Ltd is a statutorily registered cooperative institution in the category of apex federations under the Kerala State Cooperative Societies Act 1969 (Act 21 of 1969), having registered number 4351 and its area of operation within the whole of the state territory and the primary SC/ST Cooperatives in the state as its members.

Section 2(a) of the Act defines an “apex society” as a society having the whole of the State as its area of operation and having as its members only other societies with similar objects and declared as such by the Registrar. The federation is having its registered office at Peroorkada P O, in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala.

Various provisions under the enabling act, provides for the frame work within which the administration of the federation is to be performed and the Registrar of Cooperative Societies, Kerala is having the regulative control over the federation and its functions.

A Bye-Law as registered by the State Registrar of Cooperative Societies, is the legal document stating the following specific provisions in relation to its objectives and goals, capital structure, membership rules, management, power and responsibilities, office bearers, permitted activities and the rules and regulations to be followed while undertaking activities allowed for achieving its stated objectives and specific other provisions related to management and its functional activities.

These are the sub set of rules and regulations drawn and approved by the Registrar of Cooperative Societies in relation to implementation and conduct of specific schemes and activities in line with the stated objectives and goals of the federation.

OUR VISION

The vision we thrive for is “To create value for life of each of the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe families in the state in par with the rest of society through enhancing their earning capacity by delivering all possible developmental support for pursuing sustainable livelihood, protecting their natural inhabitants and self pride”

OUR MISSION

Effectively play the roles of an umbrella organization and be an acclaimed reliable partnering agency in implementing governmental and non-governmental developmental programmes and schemes for the scheduled caste and scheduled tribe community in the state.
Equipping and strengthening its affiliated primary member societies to be competent enough to undertake welfare schemes, business proposals and developmental activities of any kind in pursuance of the stated vision of the federation.
Based on the basic principles of cooperation, profitably own revenue generating business ventures to help become financially sound, stable and self reliant in pursuing its vision.

Objectives & Goals

The objectives of this Federation is to provide integrated credit and services through its member societies in an effective and co-ordinate manner for improving the social and economic conditions of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes:

In order to achieve the above primary objective, the Federation is authorized to undertake the following functions as per its approved by law.

To supply all types of credit including production and investment. Marketing and consumption credit.
To purchase minor forest produce, agricultural products, finished goods etc.
To supply agricultural inputs implements, raw materials and other requirements of agricultural and industrial production.
To market agricultural produce, minor forest produce, finished goods etc.
To establish processing units.
To set up small scale and cottage industries units
To organize new SC and ST societies where-ever necessary.
To arrange for training of members of affiliated societies in various trades.
To undertake extension work.
To guide, supervise and develop SC and ST Societies.
To prepare and implement economic development programs for providing employment opportunities.
To raise funds required for the business by way of loans from financing institution, Government or statutory bodies for various programs.
To facilitate fund availability to the affiliated societies for the implementation of approved development programmers and to enable the affiliate societies to avail of the various development schemes chalked out to improve the economic and social conditions of SC’s and ST’s.
To undertake and promote either in its own account or on behalf of affiliated society or Government import, export or interstate trade in petroleum products, agricultural produce and other commodities and allied goods of member societies.
To educate the members in improving agricultural production by using modern techniques of agricultural production, importing technical expertise for starting processing units, cottage and small-scale industries, poultry, diary industries etc.
To conduct feasibility studies for the revitalization of SC and ST co-operatives in the state and to prepare time bound action programs for implementation.
To conduct socio-economic analytical studies on the economic conditions of the SC and ST in selected areas and to suggest measures for their economic uplift.
To arrange to obtain from Government timber coups contract, contracts, collection of Non-Timber Forest Produce (NTFP), contract lease of Forest land for taungya cultivation for and on behalf of the member societies.
To conduct market analysis/studies for the steady marketing of agricultural produce, minor forest produce, processed goods and finished industrial goods of member societies and to make necessary contracts/agreements for this purpose for and on behalf of the member societies.
To arrange contract works for and on behalf of member societies for construction of office/go-downs and business complexes.
To arrange for training of skilled workers and orientation camps in co-ordination with other concerned agencies.
To undertake construction of go-down on behalf of affiliated societies, to own go-downs of its own, to facilitate the storage of produce of affiliated societies.
To serve as a bureau for the dissemination of market intelligence of affiliated societies.
To advance money on the security of produce of affiliated societies.
To undertake and promote any activity which will generate gainful employment for tribal and SC population in general and landless labours and other weaker sections among tribal and Scheduled Castes.
To open branches, sale depots or agencies in any part of India as per rules framed and approved for the purpose by Registrar of co-operative Societies.
To undertake and arrange for training of employees of affiliated societies and to provide necessary personnel for affiliated societies.
To own lands building and fixtures, machinery and vehicles, run beverage shop, Ayurvedic factories, establish hospital, hostels, dormitories, tourists resorts, run educational institution etc.
To act as agents for Government, for public bodies and corporations registered under any Act with previous sanction of Registrar.
To do such other activities undertaken with the approval of the Registrar or conductive or incidental to the attainment of the above objects and to the promotion of affiliated societies calculated for the welfare of SC/ST in the state on co-operative principles.