The L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society’s Complex, funded to the tune of Rs 5,183,617, and a Solar Photovoltaic System on the roof of the Complex were inaugurated, Saturday, by the Minister of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives, Mr Soomilduth Bholah, during a ceremony held at La Sourdine, in L’Escalier. The L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society regroups 241 members and comprises membership from all across Mauritius.
The Minister of Finance, Economic Planning and Development, Dr Renganaden Padayachy, the Minister of Health and Wellness, Dr Kailesh Kumar Singh Jagutpal, the Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS), Dr Muhammad Ismaël Rawoo, the president of L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society’s, and other personalities were also present during the event.
The official unveiling of the commemorative plate of the Complex was preceded by a cheque remittance ceremony to the L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society under the Cooperative Development Fund Scheme for the acquisition of IT facilities for Cooperative Societies. On that occasion, the eldest member of L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society, Mr Mamode Goburdhun, who celebrated his 100th birthday last week, was honoured with a Shield.
Speaking about the L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society, set up around 81 years ago, the Minister remarked that it is engaged in the sugarcane sector and has had a long journey and achieved a lot. This Cooperative Credit Society is Fairtrade certified and under this certification receives an allowance of USD 60 per ton of sugar produced, he noted.
The L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society has moreover taken advantage of the different support facilities offered by Government and the Cooperatives Ministry such as the Solar Photovoltaic Scheme for the production of electricity with 50% funded by the CEB and the remaining 50% by the Cooperatives Ministry, he recalled. As at date, there are 19 Cooperative Societies which have applied for this specific scheme and 18 are already beneficiaries of this scheme, he said.
For his part, Minister Padayachy spoke about the vision of Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Jugnauth, of helping vulnerable citizens as well as those living in rural areas so as to give them the necessary means to make their dreams a reality and achieve their objectives. As Finance Minister, he further reassured that his aim is to provide financial means to help in development projects and implement the project proposals made in November 2019.
In his address, Minister Jagutpal underscored the crucial role of the SME sector in the development of the economy of Mauritius. Speaking about Cooperatives, he recalled that many people in the region have come from farming families with various planters/farmers having achieved progress through the Cooperatives sector. This sector has allowed planters to come together and has helped in ensuring the education of children who are now working in various spheres such as in the health, law and business fields, he said.
As for the PPS, Dr Rawoo, he recalled the facilities being offered to SMEs such as in the bio-farming and the solar sectors. In the past, Cooperative Societies used to focus their activities mainly in the sugar sector but now these Societies are diversifying their activities, he indicated. It is therefore necessary for Cooperative Societies to avail of facilities and grants being offered by the various Ministries covering the fields of SMEs, Agro-Industry and Energy which will allow these Societies to implement their projects, he pointed out.
L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society’s Complex
The complex covers an area of some 3,000 square feet and comprises a hall, offices, space for agro-chemical store and parking facilities. As for the Solar Photovoltaic System, it is recalled that the L’Escalier Cooperative Credit Society is one of the beneficiaries of the Solar Photovoltaic Rebate Scheme for Cooperative Societies. Under the Scheme, Cooperative Societies are benefitting from roof-mounted grid tie Photovoltaic (PV) kits of two-kilowatt peak capacity and are not incurring any investment cost.
The Central Electricity Board (CEB) procures, is the owner of, and has the responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the PV kits. The cost of one PV kit of two kWp is Rs 110,000, the Ministry of Industrial Development, SMEs and Cooperatives provides a one-off grant of Rs 50,000 and the CEB makes up the short fall of Rs 60,000 for each beneficiary cooperative for the installation of the rooftop grid-tie PV kits of two kWp.
Eight additional Cooperative Societies are expected to benefit from this scheme.
