Members of the All Odisha Cooperative Societies Employees’ Federation (AOCSEF) staged a dharna before the State Assembly here on Wednesday protesting against the Government apathy towards fulfilment of their demands. later, the federation leaders led by its president Harish Gourang submitted a memorandum to the Cooperation Minister in which they demanded hike in salary according to the Sixth Pay Commission, pension after retirement, DA and other facilities like those provided to Government employees.
Gourang alleged that both the Central and State Cooperative Banks are exploiting cooperative societies with heavy interests by showing different technical things which need to be probed by a high-level committee or investigating agency. Working president of the federation Niranjan Sahu said the Centre had announced that it would provide computers to societies in free of costs, but later it had cut amount from the societies’ account without the cooperative societies’ consent. “They are working in difficult conditions. They should be given good facilities like the Government employees,” said Gourang, adding, “If the Government does not take their demands into consideration, they will intensify their agitation.”