Gone are the days when administrators appointed to manage cooperative societies could make arbitrary decisions and embezzle society funds. The state cooperative department has recently issued a circular in response to numerous complaints, stating that administrators will no longer have the authority to make policy decisions or handle major repairs and redevelopment on behalf of the society. Instead, a panel consisting of the administrator and two additional society members will be appointed to oversee routine administrative tasks and jointly operate society bank accounts. Housing experts believe this circular will bring much-needed control, accountability, and transparency to around a thousand societies in Maharashtra that are currently managed by administrators due to internal disputes within society committees. Critics, however, view this move as a pre-election tactic.

Administrator misused power

According to Ramesh Prabhu, founder chairman of Maharashtra Societies Welfare Association (MahaSEWA), many administrators have been involved in corrupt practices, including misappropriating society funds. The cooperative department has received numerous complaints regarding such administrators, leading to the issuance of this circular by the Commissioner of Cooperation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies in Maharashtra.