The Orissa State Cooperative Bank (OSCB) Management is alleged to have made a joke of the decision of the Chief Minister vis-à-vis appointment of Managing Director of the bank.
The Chief Minister had earlier slashed the order of the Cooperation Department giving one year extension to the incumbent MD of OSCB TK Panda to six months and had ordered for identification of his successor by April 20, 2018.
“The OSCB Managing Committee led by president Akshaya Mohanty has decided to extend the superannuation age of the incumbent MD till 70-year up to October 31, 2025. They have even requested the RCS to make necessary amendments of the Staff Service of OSCB so that order of the Chief Minister becomes irrelevant,” alleged loksamukhya convenor Ashok Nanda at a Press conference here on Monday.
The Cooperation Department has issued a notification constituting a screening committee chaired by the Chief Secretary for recruitment of MD of the OSCB. The notification has taken into consideration the old RBI/Nabard guideline of 2008 which restricts the minimum qualification to a degree/post graduate degree in few subjects.
Whereas, in the advertisement for the said post issued by the department the qualification stipulation is as per the RBI guidelines of 2011 wherein the minimum eligibility qualification has been broadened to Post Graduate in any discipline. If the 2011 guideline of RBI is taken into account, then around 50 persons OSCB/DCCB will be eligible for the post.
Interestingly, in the notification and advertisement entry level age has been relaxed beyond 62 years for candidates already in service in scheduled Cooperative Banks violating the mandatory provisions of the RBI guideline.
With this, only TK Panda fits into such new criteria since he has managed to continue beyond 62 years in the OSCB.
“Babus have made this intentionally to give extension to TK Panda as there is an ongoing inquiry regarding illegal expenditure of 100 crore by the bank,” alleged Nanda.
He demanded that the Government should immediately restrict the age limit of applicant to 62 years as per the RBI mandate so that many eligible candidates apply for the post.
Among others, RTI activists Pradip Pradhan, Debesh Dash and Mahendra Parida were present.