SHIMOGA: The Karnataka State Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Societies' and Banks' Employees' Federation has called for improving the service conditions of employees in primary agricultural credit cooperative societies and banks.

Addressing presspersons here on Friday on the eve of the golden jubilee celebration of the Shimoga District Central Cooperative Bank (SDCCB), federation president K. Mahantappa said the employees of these primary cooperative societies and banks were working without job security.

He said that the report submitted in 1988 by the committee constituted under the chairmanship of the then president of the State Apex Cooperative Bank Ajjibal Hegde on the steps to be taken to improve the service conditions of the employees was not considered by the government.

Mr. Mahantappa said the condition that the primary cooperative societies and banks should seek the approval of the Cooperative Department to increase wages and allowances for their staff had proved to be counter-productive.

He said the Karnataka State Cooperative Federation, State Cooperative Apex Bank and the Directors of the District Central Cooperative Banks elected to the apex body should take up the cause of the employees working in the primary cooperative societies and banks.

Mr. Mahantappa said a State-level conference would be held in August to highlight the importance of primary cooperative societies and banks in the agricultural production and the role of the primary cooperative agricultural societies in extending the agricultural loan.

The State Government should release Rs.93 crore which was yet to be reimbursed to cooperative banks after they made advances to the agricultural sector in 2002-2003 at the reduced rate of interest, Mr. Mahantappa added.

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