the goan I network
MAPUSA
Shareholders of the Mapusa Urban Coop Bank (MUCB) on Saturday sought the intervention of the central registrar of cooperative societies and immediate appointment of an administrator for the bank to resolve the crisis in the bank created by the resignation of the board of directors.
“In the interest of the depositors, we request you to initiate immediate action for appointing an administrator in the bank to resolve the crisis and stalemate created by the resignation of the board of directors,” the shareholders said in a letter to the central registrar.
The decision was taken at a meeting of shareholders convened by a group of shareholders led by Mapusa councillor Rajsingh Rane in the bank’s premises on Saturday.
In the letter, shareholders also said that will separately approach the State government and the RBI to support the bank at this critical juncture in the larger interest of depositors and cooperative movement in the State.
In a separate representation, MUCB officers and employees union have appealed to shareholders to take up the matter of appointing of administrator or merger of the bank with the Chief Minister and the RBI.
On the request of the gathering, a group of shareholders also decided to meet in the bank’s premises on Monday (September 10) and along with the GM, write to the central registrar to give a one-time window to customers for withdrawal of Rs 50,000 to overcome the difficulty created by RBI’s embargo.
Setting the tone of the meeting, shareholder Sanjay Walauvlekar, suggested the need to fix responsibility for the mess in the bank and called for criminal action against the guilty.
“We need to file a police complaint against those responsible for bringing the bank to such disastrous level,” Walauvlekar said.
He also called for immediate removal of the multi-state status of the bank so that it could be brought under the State cooperative society.
The founding chairman, Ramakant Khalap was also criticised by the shareholders. In a direct attack, Yeshwant Gawandalkar alleged that Khalap was mainly responsible for the deterioration of the bank.
“Instead of taking professionals in the board as directors, he took his wife and son and if given another opportunity, would bring his daughter-in-law too,” he alleged.
He demanded an inquiry in the affairs of the bank by a retired judge or by the CBI.
Mapusa councillor Rajsingh Rane said that they will have to knock the doors of the bank to find a solution of the present crisis.
“Luckily we have a Chief Minister who is from Mapusa and his father was one of the founding members of the bank. We will definitely approach the government,” he said.
