350 society secretaries file petition for pending salary

Aurangabad, July 3:

In the wake of a petition filed by about 350 society secretaries of co-operative societies in the district for their arrears of salary for eight years, justice S V Gangapurwala and Justice M G Sevlikar of the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court issued notices to the secretary, department of Co-operation, commissioner of cooperation, divisional sub-registrar, district deputy registrar and Aurangabad district central co-operative bank. The next hearing on the petition will be held on August 20.

Aurangabad district co-operative society secretary and employees union through adv Vitthalrao Dighe filed a petition. The petition states that all the society secretaries in the district have been working in various co-operative societies for many years. Even before this, the question of their salary had been raised. The state government had issued GR on December 6, 2010 regarding the salaries of society secretaries. Accordingly, the entire responsibility of the salary was handed over to the concerned district central co-operative bank. This ruling was binding on all district banks. However, it was not implemented, so in 2010 petitions were filed in the Mumbai High Court and the Aurangabad bench. The High Court had on February 24, 2011 directed the district banks and concerned authorities to implement the ruling dated December 6, 2010. The petition states that the society secretaries in the district have many responsibilities and one secretary looks after the work of 3 to 4 organizations. The society secretaries have successfully implemented the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Shetkari Sanman Yojana and Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Peek Karjamukti Yojana. As a result, the Aurangabad district bank has received Rs 550 crore from loan recovery. However, society secretaries have been deprived of their salaries. After the hearing the court gave the above orders.