Inclusive Development Through Cooperative Society, Special Reference to Godda District of Jharkhand
Authors: Babu Shekhar 
Published: February 2023

Today every nation of the world is constantly trying to accelerate inclusive development. To further enhance this effort, cooperatives have been the oldest and the only agency in the upliftment of the farmers and the weaker sections. With the help of the co-operatives diary, poultry, fishery, sheep keeping, pig rearing, handicraft, handloom, Khadi village industries, poppadum industries, house, consumer, weavers committee and industrial production committees are playing important role in India's inclusive development. In order to understand these regional and regional disparities, this paper has selected Godda district of tribal and weaker sections of Jharkhand, a small and backward state of India. Jharkhand was partitioned from Bihar on November 15, 2000. It was a subdivision of Santhal Pargana district before it became a district on 25th of May, 1983 from undivided Bihar, in 1855. It is one of the most backward district of Jharkhand. According to the 2011 census, the total population of this district is 13, 13,551 and its area is 2110 square kms. The average tribal population of this district is 22 to 23 %. Their living standards are very low. They benefit very little from governmental facilities and schemes. The main occupation of the people of this area is farming. Farming is dependent on rain. Literacy rate is about 44-45%.The literacy rate is less than 25% of the total SC and ST population which comprises of 30% of the total population of the district and the status of women is also not good. Therefore there is a lack of awareness in this class. Even though being rich in minerals, this district has not been industrialized. As a result, except the Lalmatiya coal fields, workers do not have any other source of employment besides agriculture. The area being backward by all vision, there is a less ability of branch exploitation. More than half of the weaker sections do not have knowledge about cooperatives. By the government efforts, they are made a member but then also they remain indifferent and sad by the co-operative help and activities. All 9 blocks of the districts has a total of 202 packs/lamps. Number of total farming families or agriculture based families are 111239.The total number of members is 101227 which is approximately 10% of the total population. Total share capital is 343.09 lakhs, in which the members share is 41.53 lakhs which is about 12% and that of government share is 301.56 lakhs which is 88% of the total capital. The average share of the members is only 40 rupees, which is less than half of the required 100 rupees. In 2015-16, out of 202 only 37 primary agricultural credit co-operative societies purchased paddy. Out of total 1, 01,227 farmer members of the society, only the paddy crop of 4.228 farmers was purchased which is only 4% of the total members. In the year 2015-16, a total of 3,945 farmers insured their crop of 808.57 hectare area which increased in the year 2016-17 by 13,261 farmers to 2979.83 hectare area. Government institution are the basis of rural development. Government institutions provide a strong basis for democracy. The greatest success of the co-operative movement is the development of cooperation spirit which is very much important in the progress of a country.