Huge Illegal
payments made to Bishnupada Sethy, IAS from OSCB
Dear friends
Few Months back, I had filed
RTI application to the PIO, office of Odisha State Cooperative Bank,
Bhubaneswar seeking information about details of payments made to Sri
Bishnupada Sethy, Management-in-Charge of Odisha State Cooperative Bank. It was
additional charge to him, when he was secretary of Department of Cooperation, Govt.
of Odisha. The PIO denied to supply the
information on the ground of section 8(1)(j) ( personal information) and section 11( third party information). In
fact, this information sought for does not quality to be rejected, as the payments
made to Sri Bishnupada Sethy is sanctioned from state exchequer and public money. The
PIO consciously kept this information secret, as it would expose the illegal payments made to Sri Sethy and financial irregularities. The people
have right to know how their money is being spent and how money is being
utilized. If there is any discrepancy or misappropriation, the people have
right to file complaints, as mandate of RTI Act is to contain corruption. However,
the Second Appeal petition is pending in the Commission for order.
Recently, I got a copy of Inspection Report of NABARD on Activities, functioning, financial management of Odisha State Cooperative Bank ( OSCB) along with
note for departmental action
submitted to Bank and State Government.
NABARD has made a
thorough inspection of OSCB as on 31st
March, 2018 from 14th Feb.
to 6th March, 2019 under section 35(6) of Banking Regulation Act,
1949(As Applicable to Cooperative Societies). In this Report, NABARD has
categorically described about objectionable payments made to Bishnupada Sethy,
when he was not at all the employee of OSCB.
Sri Bishnupada Sethy, IAS
Commissioner-cum-Secretary, Cooperation Department held the additional charge of OSCB as its Management-in-Charge ( MIC) with
effect from 5th February, 2013. As per statutory provision, in case
of dissolution of management body
of OSCB, the Registrar of Cooperative Societies ( RCS), Govt. of
Odisha will be in charge of the Bank. But why and who took
the decision to appoint Sri Bishnupada Sethy as MIC
replacing Registrar of
Cooperative Societies needs to be enquired . There were no
policy or guidelines approved by RCS by which MIC would be eligible for various
benefits. However, it was observed that the Bank had reimbursed / paid book ( amounting to Rs. 10,000 per annum) ,
Electricity/ Energy Bill on actual basis
, orderly allowances ( at Rs. 3000 per month), and above all Incentive ( staff Rule No. 54-A) payable to employees
who are otherwise not eligible
for Bonus not exceeding 45 days
salary. Incentive paid stood at Rs. 1,70,691 for
2013-14, Rs. 1,91,519 for 2014-15 and Rs. 65, 993 for 2015-16. Sri Sethy
not being staff member of the Bank as
per staff service Rules should not have
been paid the amount and all payments
constitute illegal. NABARD has recommended
to OSCB to review the payments.
During his tenure as MIC, he
had not got reimbursed
medical bills in three phases amounting to Rs. 9,46,071 towards hospitalization of wife and father. There
were recommendations from Government for
reimbursement in two phases on budget constraints with the Department concerned and in one case there was no
recommendation from Government. NABARD
has recommended to OSCB
and RCS to determine the entitlements of MIC , President and Directors of the Board
of the Bank to make the institution run on the basis of rules , not discretion.
Pradip Pradhan
M-9937843482
Date-28.6.19
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