The All Odisha Cooperative Societies Employees’ Federation has threatened to stage a demonstration in front of the Assembly on March 18 here to press its demands. According to federation president Harish Gaurang, the employees of cooperative societies are deprived of basic Govt facilities. “We have been demanding salary as per the Sixth Pay Commission report, DA as per the Government norms and provision of provident fund, gratitude and pension facility,” said Gaurang. He also demanded that the State Government bear the salary of cooperative societies’ employees and withdraw junior supervisors from the societies. The federation also slammed the Odisha State Cooperative Bank for depositing Rs27 crore as Income Tax.
“At a time employees of cooperative societies are not getting minimum salary, the State Cooperative Bank is paying as much as Rs27 crore as Income Tax. This is condemnable,” said Gaurang. “Despite our repeated appeals, the Govt is yet to take any initiative on our issues forcing us to resort to agitation, he said.