The employees’ body of the Cooperative Banks and societies flayed the faulty policy of the State Government. The union held its annual meeting here on Tuesday.
The Cooperative banks were not getting any kind of support as a result of which they have been bearing loss, the speakers said informing that while the banks and societies have met 70 per cent of loan target meant for the peasants, yet the Government offices instead of choosing them, are doing their transactions in the big commercial banks and private banks. They demanded all official transactions through the Cooperative banks.
The union also chose its bearers on the occasion. For the coming two years while Basant Mallick was elected as president, Himansu Sekhar Das was elected as general secretary. Others who were elected to different posts included Ajit Hota, Nabakumar Mohanty and Arun Boiti, etc.
In the meantime, a dharna was held in front of the Collectorate with various demands by the Odisha Krushka Sabha. The agitators placed a charter of demands, which included waiving of loan, `10 lakh compensation for the farmers who committed suicide, `25,000 compensation per hectare of land against crop loss, permanent measure to combat drought and flood. Krushka Sabha State president Abhiram Behera, secretary Jambeswar Samantray, Nirmal Nayak, former MlA Pradipta Panda, Sitansuu Senapati, Kamal Chakraborty and Chakradhara Padhiary, among others, addressed the gathering.