Cooperators connected with NCUI the apex cooperative body have objected to the Ministry issuing a letter appointing the Central Registrar Ashish Bhutani as the Director of Vamnicom. This is for the first time that the Ministry has directly appointed a head of the prestigious co-operative institution without keeping the apex body in the loop. It has led to heart-burns in the co-operative sector.
A letter issued by the Ministry reads “The undersigned is directed to say that with immediate effect the charge of the post of the Director (VAMNICOM) is assigned to Dr Ashish Bhutani, JS (C&C) in addition to his own duties till the selection and posting of a permanent Director in VAMNICOM, Pune until further orders.
This issue has the approval of by Hon Agriculture Minister”, reads the letter. The letter has been signed by Sebastian Joseph, Deputy Director. A copy of this letter dated 21st July has been forwarded to Chairman NCCT, among others.
NCUI has reportedly shot a letter expressing its reservations on the issue.
The order of Ministry has in a way made the Vamnicom Board defunct which has about 10 members including NCUI President, Chief Executive, Director Vamnicom and others, said a cooperator in the know of things.
Our objection is simple” we are ready to execute the wishes of the Ministry but an order of appointment should have gone from here not from the Ministry”, said a senior cooperator on condition of anonymity.
”We would have issued a letter in accordance with the Ministry’s wish but what the Ministry has done is a bad precedent. It never happened in the last 20 years, he recalled. How can NCUI President go to the campus when his position is compromised?, he asked.
It is both illogical and illegal. The MSCA-2002 clearly stipulates that the Board is supreme. It is true that the govt makes available most of funds to Vamnicom and it should have somebody of its choice to head the Institution but the choice has to be ratified by the Board” he said.
“But when the govt itself would not respect its laws namely MSCS-2002 in this case how can it expect others to do so”, he wondered.
Meanwhile, Vamnicom continues to suffer in the absence of an in-house head for a busy Central Registrar has his hands full running his own office.