- (1.) PARITOSH K. Mnkherjee, J. The present writ petition was moved on behalf of 27 petitioners, inter alia, praying for issuance of writ of mandamus directing the respondents to pay the petitioners salary in the pay-scale of Rs. 2100-4000 on the post of Manager; Officer (Junior Management Cadre which is being given to other 195 Regional Rural Banks (hereinafter referred to as the RRBs) Officers and Managers of Nationalised Scheduled Commercial Bank, and, also the arrears of salary which have become due by this time.
(2.) AT the time the writ petition was moved Hon'ble B. M. Lai, J. did not pass any order of stay on July 20,1991, and the writ petition has now come up for final hearing. Sri V. K. Singh, is appearing for the Union of India. No counter-affidavit has been filed, although Hon'ble R. B. Mehrotra, J. , on 7-5-1992 passed the direction for filing the counter-affidavit. The facts as stated in the instant writ petition are as follows :- The petitioners who are 27 in number were employed in RRBs established under the provisions of Regional Rural Bank Act, 1976 (here inafter referred to as the Act ). The said Bank was established with a view as develop the rural economy by providing funds for the development of agriculture, trade, commerce and Industry and other productive activities in the rural areas. The loans are disbursed to small and marginal farmers, agricultural labourers, artisans and small entrepreneurs, and, for matters connected therewith, and incidental thereto.
(3.) EACH Rural Bank has been sponsored by some Bank. Sub-sec tion (3) of Section 3 of the Act also provided that it shall be the duty of the sponsoring commercial Bank to aid and assist the Regional Banks sponsored by it by subscribing its share capital. Kshetriya Kisan Gramin Bank, Mainpuri. under which present petitioners are working, it also one of the RRB incorporated under Sec tion 3 of the Act, and is sponsored by Uttar Pradesh Co-operative Bank Limited, Lucknow. It is Stated that, in all, 196 RRBs have been incorporat ed in the country. Out of 196, 165 RRBs have been incorporated by some or the other Nationalised Scheduled Commercial Banks. Kshetriya Kisan Gramin Bank, Mainpuri is the only Bank which is sponsored by the Uttar Pradesh Co- operative Bank Ltd. Lucknow. All other Rural Banks have been sponsored by the nationalised Banks.;