The absence of a signing authority forced the MCA to explore other options
Sharad Pawar
With the festive season just around the corner, the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) on Saturday managed to provide some cheer to their employees by managing to pay the staff's salary which was pending since September.
The absence of a signing authority forced the MCA to explore other options. Several MCA club owners had come forward with financial assistance to pay the staff. However, the association chose to take the suggestion from ex-president Sharad Pawar, who arranged for funds from Shirke Infrastructure.
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MCA has a partnership with the Shirke group to manage its clubs at Bandra Kurla Complex and Kandivli. It is learnt that the association has borrowed over Rs 1.5 crore from Shrike Infrastructure as an advance to the MCA. "After 3,500 membership, the MCA is entitled for a 50 per cent share of the membership amount. It is this money which the MCA has taken as advance towards future memberships that will be sold," an MCA official told mid-day on Saturday.
"Salaries from September to November have been paid along with Diwali bonus and ex-gratia," the official added. Since there is no signing authority for the MCA ever since the Bombay High Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) retired Justices Hemant Gokhale and VM Kanade did not desire to get an extension after their term ended in September, the association has been unable to clear their electricity dues, property tax, staff salaries, players expenses and payments to various vendors.
The administrative vacuum in the association is due to no direction from the Bombay High Court to run the day-to-day show. The Chief Executive Officer CS Naik refused to take charge as there was no mandate from the court. Naik was elated by Pawar's gesture. "Pawar saheb has been following up on the salary issue for quite some time. This has happened only due to his blessings. We are grateful that a solution has been finally worked out," said Naik.
The MCA is expecting the Supreme Court to hear their plea in the coming week. The BCCI has assured to bear the entire expenses of all the Mumbai teams for the season till normalcy resumes.
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