The extended meeting between the apex cooperative body NCUI and Ministry of Agriculture and cooperation on the issue of Field Project staff has been replaced by a one to one meeting between the NCUI’s Chief Executive and the Central Registrar.
Confirming the development, Chief executive Dr Dinesh said “ I am indeed meeting the Central registrar Mr Bhutani on the coming Monday. There are several issues pertaining to the staff working for project officers and we hope to thrash out a solution workable for them.”
Project Officers had indeed kicked up enough of a stink that the government and the NCUI have felt compelled to take note of their demands, said an NCUI official on condition of anonymity.
Project officers are paid a pittance but a huge burden of the job of training in remote areas rests on their shoulders. This is the reason why they have been clamoring for justice. They have sent out petitions seeking intervention from President of India to Prime Minister to MPs to NCUI’s President to Indian Cooperative.
Talking to Indian Cooperative Dr Dinesh said that I have always felt that the cooperative movement in remotest parts of the country is being ignited by these people; I even took up the issue of having many more such projects in the future with the Central Registrar; but the clearance has to come from the government.
Dr Dinesh said a proposal was sent to the government for raising their salaries. The govt wanted a committee to be formed. The newly constituted Committee had representatives from both the govt and the NCUI. It visited some of the field projects and recommended a hike in the salary. The recommendation has been lying with the government. Meanwhile, at my own risk I raised their salaries by 35 per cent, added Dinesh.
NCUI’s Chief Executive is hopeful that the Monday meeting may lead to a roadmap. “I repeat I have found them very useful”, said the officer whom project officers have blamed for delaying decisions in the past.