State govt approves opening of accounts at BJP leader’s bank for salary disbursal

Maharashtra govt approves salary accounts for employees at MDCCB, now eligible for government business, and discusses E-cabinet and project ID initiatives.

Mumbai: The state government on Thursday approved the opening of accounts for the disbursal of salaries and allowances for government employees at the Mumbai District Central Cooperative Bank (MDCCB), led by BJP leader Pravin Darekar. The bank, also known as Mumbai Bank, had earlier failed to meet eligibility criteria in November 2023 but has now been included in the list of 14 banks authorised to handle government accounts following improvements in its gradation and financial parameters.

State govt approves opening of accounts at BJP leader’s bank for salary disbursal

This decision was made at a cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister Devendra Fadnavis. The government also allowed state-run public sector undertakings (PSUs) to use MDCCB for deposits. Darekar, the bank’s chairman and a member of the state legislative council, expressed gratitude, highlighting the bank’s support for various government schemes, including opening over 70,000 accounts for the Ladki Bahin scheme.

In addition, the cabinet approved a proposal to allot land in Mumbai for the construction of Sahakar Bhavan, a training centre for the cooperative sector. The land, covering 2,567 square metres in Pratiksha Nagar, was leased to the bank in August 2024 for 30 years, sparking opposition criticism due to the bank’s political connections. The plot’s market value is estimated at ₹200 crore.

The cabinet also discussed the ‘E-cabinet’ proposal, aimed at reducing paper use by providing cabinet proposals on tablets. Furthermore, a unique identification number will be assigned to every infrastructure project in the state to improve coordination and avoid duplication.

Despite past allegations of irregularities under the Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, MDCCB has received a clean chit and continues to strengthen its role in supporting government projects and initiatives.