Lok Sabha Question No. 27 (STARRED), answered on 2025-07-22
Subject: Beneficiaries of Schemes/Initiatives Launched under Cooperatives
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Shri Ganesh Singh

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION No. 27 TO BE ANSWERED ON 22 nd  JULY, 2025

## Beneficiaries of Schemes / initiatives launched under cooperatives

## 27 Shri Ganesh Singh:

Will the Minister of Cooperation (सहकाįरता मंũी) be pleased to state:

- (a)  the  total  number  of  Cooperative  Societies,  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs)  and  individuals benefited across the country from various schemes and initiatives launched by the government particularly in Madhya Pradesh including Satna district so far;
- (b) the strategies and plans of the Government to strengthen the cooperative sector in future, particularly in Madhya Pradesh including Satna district; and
- (c)  whether  the  Government  proposes  to  set  up  any  such  university  or  campus  thereof  in Madhya  Pradesh,  particularly  in  Satna  district,  after  Gujarat  under  the  Tribhuvan  Sahkari University, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकाįरता मंũी (SHRI AMIT SHAH)

(a) to (c): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PARTS (a) TO (c) IN RESPECT OF LOK  SABHA  STARRED  QUESTION  NO.  27  FOR  REPLY  ON  22 ND   JULY,  2025 ASKED BY SHRI GANESH SINGH REGARDING BENEFICIARIES OF SCHEMES / INITIATIVES LAUNCHED UNDER COOPERATIVES

(a) As per the National Cooperative Database (NCD), there are more than 8 lakh cooperative societies  across  the  country,  comprising  approximately  30  crore  members.  Out  of  these, Madhya Pradesh accounts for 54,025 cooperative societies with about 95 lakh members. In Satna district of Madhya Pradesh, there are 1,551 cooperative societies with approximately 1.80 lakh members. The State-wise details of the number of cooperative societies and their membership across the country, including Madhya Pradesh, are enclosed as Annexure-1.

Cooperative societies are built on the principles of mutual help, democratic functioning, and equitable sharing of benefits. Members of a cooperative society benefit in several direct and indirect  ways  from  a  range  of  activities  undertaken  by  these  societies,  including  by participating in various  schemes of Government of India. These benefits include, access to subsidised  rural  credit,  access  to  agricultural  inputs  through  PM-Kisan  Samridhi  Kendras (PMKSKs), availability of affordable medicines through Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras  (PMBJKs),  access  to  agri-infrastructure  products  and  services  facilitated  by  the Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers'  Welfare  and  the  Department  of  Food  and  Public Distribution etc.

(b)   The Ministry of Cooperation, since its inception on 6th July, 2021, has undertaken several initiatives  to  realize  the  vision  of  'Sahakar-se-Samriddhi'  and  to  strengthen  &  deepen  the cooperative movement from Primary to Apex level Cooperatives in the country. List of all initiatives taken and progress made so far since the inception of the Ministry, for revitalizing, bringing  transparency,  modernizing,  creating  competitiveness  and  capacity  building  of cooperative societies is attached at Annexure-2 .

(c)  No  such  proposal  is  under  consideration  at  present  and  no  such  proposal  has  been received by the Ministry.

*****

Annexure-1 State wise number of cooperative societies

| S.No   | State                                        | Number of Societies   | Number of members   |
|--------|----------------------------------------------|-----------------------|---------------------|
| 1      | ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR                          | 2,234                 | 62,855              |
| 2      | ANDHRA PRADESH                               | 17,885                | 76,52,672           |
| 3      | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                            | 1,452                 | 52,387              |
| 4      | ASSAM                                        | 11,862                | 33,91,438           |
| 5      | BIHAR                                        | 29,210                | 1,61,05,882         |
| 6      | CHANDIGARH                                   | 476                   | 34,977              |
| 7      | CHHATTISGARH                                 | 11,164                | 51,02,724           |
| 8      | DELHI                                        | 5,944                 | 12,82,427           |
| 9      | GOA                                          | 5,525                 | 15,56,828           |
| 10     | GUJARAT                                      | 85,357                | 1,89,98,468         |
| 11     | HARYANA                                      | 33,980                | 41,50,702           |
| 12     | HIMACHAL PRADESH                             | 5,501                 | 17,82,771           |
| 13     | JAMMU AND KASHMIR                            | 10,390                | 4,28,491            |
| 14     | JHARKHAND                                    | 11,871                | 27,35,678           |
| 15     | KARNATAKA                                    | 45,900                | 2,35,21,889         |
| 16     | KERALA                                       | 19,663                | 6,30,15,320         |
| 17     | LADAKH                                       | 274                   | 31,789              |
| 18     | LAKSHADWEEP                                  | 43                    | 74,783              |
| 19     | MADHYAPRADESH                                | 54,025                | 95,22,546           |
| 20     | MAHARASHTRA                                  | 2,23,605              | 7,96,51,615         |
| 21     | MANIPUR                                      | 11,577                | 5,73,777            |
| 22     | MEGHALAYA                                    | 3,311                 | 2,68,921            |
| 23     | MIZORAM                                      | 1,333                 | 53,145              |
| 24     | NAGALAND                                     | 8,028                 | 1,29,807            |
| 25     | ODISHA                                       | 7,617                 | 96,14,597           |
| 26     | PUDUCHERRY                                   | 462                   | 3,96,600            |
| 27     | PUNJAB                                       | 19,666                | 30,42,721           |
| 28     | RAJASTHAN                                    | 41,471                | 1,12,04,784         |
| 29     | SIKKIM                                       | 3,781                 | 84,406              |
| 30     | TAMIL NADU                                   | 22,817                | 1,84,68,162         |
| 31     | TELANGANA                                    | 60,794                | 1,02,89,047         |
| 32     | THE DADRA AND NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMAN AND DIU | 569                   | 50,145              |
| 33     | TRIPURA                                      | 3,140                 | 5,31,990            |
| 34     | UTTAR PRADESH                                | 40,794                | 1,91,95,114         |
| 35     | UTTARAKHAND                                  | 6,246                 | 16,92,783           |
| 36     | WEST BENGAL                                  | 32,017                | 94,32,904           |
|        | Total                                        | 8,39,984              | 32,41,85,145        |

Source: NCD portal as of 30-06-2025

## Progress on major initiatives taken by Ministry of Cooperation

Ministry of Cooperation, since its inception on 6 th July, 2021, has undertaken several initiatives to realize the vision of 'Sahakar-se-Samriddhi' and to strengthen & deepen the cooperative movement from Primary to Apex level Cooperatives in the country. List of initiatives taken and progress made so far are as follows:

## A. Making Primary Cooperatives economically vibrant and transparent

1. Model Bye-Laws for PACS  making them multipurpose, multidimensional  and transparent entities : Government, in consultation with all the stakeholders, including States/ UTs,  National Level Federations, State Cooperative Banks  (StCBs), District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), etc., has prepared and circulated Model Bye-laws for PACS to all the States/ UTs, which enable PACS to undertake more than 25 business activities, improve governance, transparency and accountability  in their  operations.  Provisions have  also  been made to make the membership of PACS more inclusive and broad-based, giving  adequate representation to women and Scheduled Castes/Schedules Tribes. So far, 32 States/ UTs have adopted Model Bye-laws or their existing bye-laws are in line with Model Bye-laws.
2. Strengthening of PACS through Computerization :    In  order to  strengthen PACS, project for Computerization of functional PACS with a total financial outlay of ₹2925.39 Crore has been approved by the Government of India, which entails bringing all functional PACS in the  Country  onto  a  common  ERP  based  national  software,  linking  them  with  NABARD through StCBs and DCCBs. A total of 73,492 PACS from 31 States/ UTs have been sanctioned under the project. A total of 59,920 PACS have been onboarded on ERP Software and hardware has been procured by 30 States/UTs.
3. Establishing New Multipurpose PACS/ Dairy/ Fishery Cooperatives in covering all  the  Panchayats :  The  Government  of  India  has  approved  the  plan  to  establish  new multipurpose PACS/dairy/fisheries cooperatives, aiming to cover all panchayats and villages in  the  country  over  the  next  five  years.  This  initiative  is  supported  by  NABARD,  NDDB, NFDB and State/UT Governments. As per National Cooperative Database, a total of 22,933 new PACS, Dairy and Fishery Cooperative Societies have been registered as on 30.06.2025 across the country since the approval of the plan on 15.2.2023.
4. Launch of Margdarshika/ SOP for Establishing New Multipurpose PACS/ Dairy/ Fishery Cooperatives in covering all the Panchayats: In order to ensure effective and timely implementation of the plan, Ministry of Cooperation in coordination with NABARD, NDDB and  NFDB  has  launched  a  Standard  Operating  Procedure  (Margdarshika)  on  19.9.2024, indicating the targets and timelines for all stakeholders concerned.
5. World's  Largest  Decentralized  Grain  Storage  Plan  in  Cooperative  sector : Government  has  approved  a  plan  to  create  warehouses,  custom  hiring  centers,  primary processing  units  and  other  agri-infrastructure  for  grain  storage  at  PACS  level,  through convergence of various GOI schemes, including AIF, AMI, SMAM, PMFME, etc. This will

reduce wastage of food grains and transportation costs, enable farmers to realize better prices for their produce and meet various agricultural needs at the PACS level itself. Under the pilot project, construction of godowns in 11 PACS of 11 States has been completed. Further, under the  Extended  Pilot,  more  than  500  PACS  across  the  country  have  been  identified  for construction of godowns under the World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector.

Currently, the State Department of Food and Civil Supplies, NAFED, and NCCF have given hiring  assurance  for  godowns  to  be  constructed  in  147  PACS,  and  construction  work  has commenced in 103 PACS.

6. Launch  of  Margdarshika/  SOP  for  World's  Largest  Grain  Storage  Plan  in Cooperative Sector : A comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) - 'Margdarshika' has been developed  and  shared with the States/ UTs  for the  smooth  and  uniform implementation  of  the  Plan.  The  Margdarshika  includes:  formation  of  various  committees under the scheme, decisions taken in the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC), introduction and benefits  of  various  converged  schemes  under  the  plan,  application  procedure,  phase-wise implementation  flowchart  of  the  grain  storage  project,  expected  outcomes  and  defined timelines,  roles  and  responsibilities  of  the  Ministry  of  Cooperation  and  other  stakeholders, Warehousing Development and Regulatory Authority (WDRA) guidelines for the construction of godowns, criteria for the selection of PACS under the scheme.

7. Amendments made under AMI Scheme with regard to World's Largest Grain Storage Plan: Based on the decisions taken in the 2nd IMC meeting of World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector, held on 23.10.2024, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has made the following amendments under the AMI scheme:
2.  To enhance financial viability of the scheme, the margin money requirement has been reduced from 20% to 10%.
3.  The construction cost has been revised from ₹3000-3500/MT to ₹7000/MT for plain areas and from ₹4000/MT to ₹8000/MT for northeastern states.
4.  The subsidy has been increased from 25% to 33.33% (from ₹875/MT to ₹2333/MT for plain areas and from ₹1333.33/MT to ₹2666/MT for northeastern states).
5.  For PACS, a provision has been made to provide an additional subsidy of 1/3 (one third) of the total admissible subsidy for ancillary infrastructure such as internal roads, weighbridges, boundary walls, etc., for PACS.

## 8. Developments pertaining to FCI regarding identification and issuance of Hiring Assurance to Godowns under the World's Largest Grain Storage Plan in Cooperative Sector:

Based  on  the  decisions  taken  in  the  meeting  held  on  2.6.2025  under  the  chairmanship  of Hon'ble Home and Cooperation Minister, FCI has been entrusted to identify PACS, provide hiring assurance, and ensure the annual hiring of these warehouses, the following progress have been made:

-  In Phase I, FCI has identified 216 potential locations for hiring of godowns of 2500 MT and above (1671 MT and above for North Eastern and Hilly areas)
-  About 26.03 LMT Storage requirement has been mapped by FCI in these potential 216 locations in 18 States /UTs

9. PACS as Common Service Centers (CSCs) for better access to e-services : An MoU has been signed between Ministry of Cooperation, MeitY, NABARD and CSC e-Governance Services India  Limited for providing more than  300 e-services such as banking, insurance, Aadhar  enrolment/  updation,  health  services,  PAN  card  and  IRCTC/  Bus/  Air  ticket,  etc. through PACS. So far, 47,918 PACS have started providing CSC services to rural citizens.

10. Formation of new Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) by PACS: Under the Central Sector Scheme - Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), NCDC is one of the Implementing Agencies designated by Department of Agriculture and  Farmers  Welfare,  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare,  Government  of  India towards  formation  and  promotion  of  FPOs  under  Cooperative  Societies  Act.  Target  for formation  and  promotion  of  746  FPOs  was  assigned  by  DA&FW  to  NCDC  and  NCDC registered 746 FPOs  in the cooperative sector.

Thereafter, with the initiative  of  Ministry  of  Cooperation,  Government  of  India,  additional target  of  Farmer  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs)  was  allocated  to  NCDC  by  Ministry  of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, GoI, for formation and promotion of FPOs in cooperative sector through strengthening of PACS under the scheme and NCDC got target of 1117 FPOs and registered/onboarded 1117 FPOs through the members of PACS. This will be helpful in providing farmers with necessary market linkages and get fair and remunerative process for their produce.

NCDC has disbursed ₹179 crore to FPOs/CBBOs under the scheme.

11. PACS  given  priority  for  Retail  Petrol/  Diesel  outlets :  Government  has  allowed PACS to be included in the Combined Category 2 (CC2) for allotment of retail petrol/ diesel outlets. As per information received from Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs), 393 PACS from 27 States/UTs have applied online for retail petrol/ diesel outlets.

12. PACS given permission to convert bulk consumer petrol pumps into retail outlets : The  existing  bulk  consumer  licensee  PACS  have  been  given  a  one-time  option  by  Oil Marketing Companies to convert into retail outlets. As per information shared by OMCs, 117 wholesale consumer pump licensee PACS from 5 States have given consent for conversion into Retail Outlets, out of which 59 PACS have been commissioned by the OMCs.

13. PACS eligible for LPG Distributorship for diversifying its activities : Government has now allowed PACS to apply for LPG Distributorships. This will give PACS an option to increase their economic activities and diversify their income stream. As of now, 2 PACS from the state of Jharkhand have applied for LPG distributorship under CC Category.

14. PACS as PM Bharatiya Jan Aushadhi Kendra for improving access to generic medicines  at  rural  level :  PACS  have  been  allowed  to  operate  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya JanaushadhiKendras (PMBJKs), which will provide additional income source to them and ease the access to quality generic medicines for rural citizens. So far, 4,118 PACS/ cooperative societies have applied online for PMBJKs, out of which 4,108 PACS have been given initial approval by Pharmaceutical & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) and 762 PACS have got store codes from PMBI which are ready to function as PM Bhartiya Jan Aushadhi Kendras.

15. PACS as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSK): PACS have been enabled to operate PMKSK for ensuring easy accessibility of fertilizer & related services to farmers in the country. As per the information shared by Department of Fertilizers (GOI) and States/ UTs, a total of 36,592 PACS are functioning as PMKSK.

16. PACS to carry out O&M of rural piped water supply schemes (PWS) : PACS have been made eligible to carry out the Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of PWS in rural areas. As per information received from States/ UTs, 539 PACS have been identified/ selected by 8 States/ UTs to provide O&M services at Panchayat/ Village level.

17. Convergence of PM-KUSUM at PACS level :  Farmers  associated  with  PACS  can adopt solar agricultural water pumps and install photovoltaic modules in their farms.

18. Convergence  of  PM  Surya  Ghar  -  Muft  Bijli  Yojana  (PMSG-MBY)  at Cooperative Societies level: The initiative seeks to accelerate the adoption of clean and lowcost rooftop solar energy while leveraging the extensive grassroots presence of cooperative societies. 100 towns have been shortlisted for focused implementation of this initiative.

19. Micro-ATMs  to  Bank  Mitra  Cooperative  Societies  for  providing  doorstep financial  services :  Dairy  and  Fisheries  cooperative  societies  can  be  made  Bank  Mitras  of DCCBs  and  StCBs.  To  ensure  their  ease  of  doing  business,  transparency  and  financial inclusion, Micro-ATMs are also being given to these Bank Mitra Co-operative Societies with support  from  NABARD  to  provide  'Door-step  Financial  Services'.  To  facilitate  effective implementation of the initiative, an SOP has been launched on 19 th September 2024. So far, 9,723 Micro-ATMs have been distributed to Bank Mitra cooperative societies in Gujarat.

20. Rupay Kisan Credit Card to Members of Milk Cooperatives : In order to expand the reach  of  DCCBs/  StCBs  and  to  provide  necessary  liquidity  to  the  members  of  Dairy Cooperative societies, Rupay Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) are being distributed to the members of cooperatives for providing credit at comparatively lower interest rates and to enable them to carry out other financial transactions. To facilitate effective implementation of the initiative, an SOP has been launched on 19 th  September 2024. So far, 8,59,487 Rupay KCC have been distributed in the State of Gujarat.

21. Formation  of  Fish  Farmer  Producer  Organization  (FFPO): In  order  to  provide market linkage and processing facilities to fishermen, NCDC registered 70 FFPOs in the initial phase.  In  addition,  Department  of  Fisheries,  Government  of  India  allocated  the  work  of converting 1000 existing fisheries cooperative societies into FFPOs to National Cooperative Development  Corporation.  National  Cooperative  Development  Corporation  has  identified 1000  Primary  Fisheries  Cooperatives  Societies  to  strengthen  as  FFPOs,  with  an  approved outlay of Rs.280.65 crore. Business plan for the selected societies is being prepared by the CBBOs.

NCDC has disbursed ₹81 crore to FPOs/CBBOs under the scheme.

22. White Revolution 2.0 : The Ministry of Cooperation has launched an initiative to usher Cooperative-led "White Revolution 2.0' aimed at expanding cooperative coverage, employment generation and women's empowerment with an objective "To increase the milk procurement  of  dairy  cooperatives  by  50%  from  the  present  level  over  next  five  years  by providing market access to dairy farmers in uncovered areas and increasing the share of dairy cooperatives  in  organised  sector."  The  SOP  for  White  Revolution  2.0  was  launched  on 19.09.2024  by Hon'ble  Home & Cooperation Minister  in presence of Hon'ble Minister of Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry and Dairying.  On  25.12.2024  Hon'ble  Home  &  Cooperation Minister in the presence of Hon'ble Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying inaugurated 6,600 newly set up Dairy Cooperative Societies. So far, 15,383 DCSs have been registered in 31 states/UTs.

23. Atmanirbharta  Abhiyan :  Ministry  of  Cooperation  has  launched  the  initiative  to incentivize production of pulses (tur, masur and urad) to reduce dependency on imports, and production  of  maize  to  be  used  for  production  of  ethanol  for  meeting  the  goal  of  Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP) through National Cooperative Consumer Federation (NCCF) and National  Agricultural  Cooperative  Marketing  Federation  of  India  (NAFED).  Both  have developed their own web portal i.e. e-samyukti and e-samridhi respectively for registration of farmers through cooperatives. Both have assured pre-registered farmers of tur, urad, masur and maize to procure 100% of their produce at Minimum Support Price (MSP). However, if market prices exceed the MSP, farmers are free to sell their produce in the open market. A total of 41,40,566  farmers  have  already  registered  on  the  e-samyukti  portal  of  NCCF.  Similarly, 11,02,573 farmers have registered themselves on the e-samridhi portal of NAFED.

## B. Strengthening the Cooperative Banks

24. Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) have been allowed to open new branches to expand their business: UCBs can now open new branches up to 10% (maximum 5 branches) of the existing number of branches in the previous financial year without prior approval of RBI.
25. UCBs have been allowed by RBI to offer doorstep services to their customers: Door step banking facility can now be provided by UCBs. Account holders of these banks can now avail various banking facilities at home such as cash withdrawal, cash deposit, KYC, demand draft and life certificate for pensioners, etc.
26. Notification of Scheduling norms for including Urban Cooperative Banks: UCBs that meet the 'Financially Sound and Well Managed' (FSWM) criteria and have maintained the minimum deposits required for classification as Tier 3 for the last two years are now eligible to be included in Schedule II of the Reserve Bank of India Act, 1934 and get 'Scheduled' status.
27. A Nodal Officer designated in RBI for regular interaction with UCBs: In order to meet the long pending demand of the cooperative sector for closer coordination and focused interaction, RBI has notified a nodal officer.
28. Relief for Urban Cooperative Societies (UCBs) by reducing PSL target from 75% to 60%: RBI had reduced the priority sector lending (PSL) target for UCBs to 75%, due to which UCBs were facing a lot of constraints. Now the target for UCBs has been reduced from 75% to 60%, which gives a lot of relief to these banks.
29. Housing loan limit for Urban Cooperative Banks increased from 10% to 25%: Housing loan limit for members of Urban Cooperative Banks has been increased from 10% of assets to 25% (up to Rs 3 crore) of their total loan & advances.
30. Relief in sub-limit of 12% sub-limit (weaker sections) by withdrawing of target of ₹ 2 lakh for women loan repayment: Removal of the target of ₹2 lakh for women borrowers under the 12% sub-limit for weaker sections simplifies PSL compliance and provides UCBs greater operational freedom in meeting PSL obligations.
31. Relief to Urban Cooperative Institutions by increasing 50% loan limit from ₹ 1 crore to ₹ 3 crore: The loan and advances exposure limit for Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) at 50% of loans and advances has been increased from ₹1 crore to ₹3 crore, which helps them meet  the  higher  credit  demands  of  individual  borrowers,  supports  business  growth  and improves their competitiveness in the retail and SME lending segments.
32. Monetary ceiling doubled by RBI for Gold Loan: RBI has doubled monetary ceiling from Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs.4 lakhs, for those UCBs that meet the PSL targets.
33. Umbrella Organization for Urban Cooperative Banks: RBI has accorded approval to the National Federation of Urban Co-operative Banks and Credit Societies Ltd. (NAFCUB) for the formation of an Umbrella Organization (UO) for the UCB sector, which aims to provide necessary IT infrastructure and operational support to around 1,500 UCBs.

34.

RBI extended the glide path for Security Receipts from FY 2025-26 to FY 2027-

- 28: RBI,  vide  circular  dated  24.02.2025,  has  provided  an  additional  two  years  time  for provisioning  of  non-performing  assets  through  Asset  Reconstruction  Company  for  better management  of  capital  and  liquidity  in  urban  co-operative  banks  so  that  these  banks  can minimize the losses on stressed assets.
35. Cooperative banks have been allowed to make one-time settlement of outstanding loans, like Commercial Banks: Co-operative banks, through board-approved policies, can now provide the process for settlement with borrowers, along with technical write-off.
36. Higher Housing Loan Limits: Reserve Bank of India has increased the individual housing loan limit for rural co-operative banks by two and a half times to Rs. 75 lakh and enabled them to lend to real estate up to 5% of total exposure.
37. License fee reduced for Cooperative Banks for AePS: License fee for onboarding Cooperative Banks to 'Aadhaar Enabled Payment System' (AePS) has been reduced by linking it to the number of transactions. Cooperative financial institutions are now to get the facility free of cost for the first three months of the pre-production phase. With this, farmer members of onboarded Banks are now able to get the facility of banking at their home with through biometrics.
38. Non-scheduled UCBs, StCBs and DCCBs notified as Member Lending Institutions (MLIs) in CGTMSE Scheme to increase the share of cooperatives in lending: Cooperative banks are now able to take advantage of risk coverage up to 85 percent on the loans given. Also, cooperative sector enterprises are also be able to get collateral free loans from cooperative banks now. CGTMSE rationalized the eligibility criteria from 5% Gross NPA or less to 7% Gross  NPA  or  less  for  registration  of  Cooperative  Banks  as  Member  Lending  Institutions (MLIs) under Credit Guarantee Scheme (CGS).
39. Banking Regulation Act is amended by the Government to make the term of Board of Directors of Cooperative Banks as per the constitution (maximum 10 consecutive years).
40. Limit  for  Agricultural  Cooperative  Societies  (Dairy)  under  Priority  Sector Guidelines  increased  from  ₹5  crore  to  ₹10  crore: RBI  has  increased  the  priority  sector lending limit for Agricultural Cooperative Societies (Dairy) from ₹5 crore to ₹10 crore vide Master Direction dated 24.03.2025. This move enables banks to provide more credit support to Agricultural Cooperative Societies (Dairy), thereby strengthening agricultural infrastructure and boosting rural credit flow.
41. Sahakar Sarathi (Shared Service Entity): To provide technological services to Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs) and for their strengthening, RBI has given in-principal approval to NABARD for setting up of Sahakar Sarathi (Shared Service Entity).
42. Ministry  has  constituted a  Task  Force  under  NAFCUB  on  'Transformation  of Urban Cooperative Banks and Cooperative Credit Societies' . The task force has submitted two reports.
43. On  the  request  of  Ministry,  NABARD  has  submitted  a report  on  Reforms, Restructuring and innovation in Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs).
44. The  Ministry  has  completed a  detailed  study  through  IRMA  for  National Cooperative  Agriculture  &  Rural  Development  Banks' Federation  Ltd.  (NAFCARD), resulting in an approved Action Plan that guides lending expansion, promotes non-farm sector activities, and strengthens cooperative governance.
45. The Ministry has completed a strategic study to elevate NAFSCOB's role in Amrit Kaal  (2022-2047). It  outlines  reforms  for  cooperative  credit,  digital  integration,  financial service diversification, and institutional strengthening. With emphasis on governance, statelevel  capacity  building,  and  inclusive  outreach,  the  roadmap  positions  NAFSCOB  to  lead cooperative banking and drive sustainable rural development across India.

## C. Relief to Cooperative Societies in the Income Tax Act

46. Surcharge  reduced  from  12%  to  7%  for  co-operative  societies  having  income between Rs. 1 to 10 Cr.: This will reduce the burden of Income Tax on Cooperative Societies and more capital will be available with them to work for the benefit of their members.

47. MAT reduced for cooperatives from 18.5% to 15%: With this provision, now there is parity between Cooperative Societies and Companies in this regard.

48. Relief in cash transactions under section 269ST of the Income Tax Act: In order to remove  difficulties  in  cash  transactions  by  cooperatives  under  Section  269ST  of  IT  Act, Government has issued a clarification that cash transaction of less than Rs. 2 lakhs done by a cooperative society with its distributor in a day will be considered separately, and will not be charged with income tax penalty.

49. Tax cut for new manufacturing Cooperative societies: Government has decided that a flat lower tax rate of 15% will be charged, compared to an earlier rate of up to 30% plus surcharge, for new cooperatives commencing manufacturing activities by March 31, 2024. This will encourage the formation of new cooperative societies in the manufacturing sector.

50. Increase  in  limit  of  Cash  Deposits  and  Payments  by  PACS  and  PCARDBs: Government has enhanced the limit for Cash Deposits and Payments by PACS and Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs) from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 2 lakh  per  member.  This  provision  will  facilitate  their  activities,  increase  their  business  and benefit members of their societies.

51.

Increase in limit of Loan and Loan Repayments in Cash by PACS and PCARDBs:

Government has enhanced the limit for Loan and Loan Repayments in Cash by PACS and Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs) from Rs. 20,000 to Rs. 2 lakh per member. This provision will facilitate their activities, increase their business and benefit members of their societies.

## D. Revival of Cooperative Sugar Mills

52. Relief  from  Income  Tax  to  Sugar  Cooperative  Mills :  Government  has  issued  a clarification that cooperative sugar mills would not be subjected to additional income tax for paying higher sugarcane prices to farmers up to Fair and Remunerative or State Advised Price, from April, 2016 onwards.
53. Resolution  of  decades  old  pending  issues  related  to  Income  Tax  of  Sugar Cooperative Mills : Government has made a provision in its Union Budget 2023-24, wherein Sugar cooperatives have been allowed to claim as expenditure their payments to sugarcane farmers for the period prior to assessment year 2016-17, giving them a relief of more than Rs.46,000 crore.
54. Rs.10,000  crore  loan  scheme  for  strengthening  of  Sugar  Cooperative  Mills : Government launched a scheme through NCDC for setting up ethanol plants or cogeneration plants or for working capital or for all three purposes. Ministry has released Rs.1000 crore to NCDC (Rs.500 crore in FY 2022-23 and Rs.500 crore in FY 2024-25) under the scheme and NCDC has released Rs.10,005 crore to 56 CSMs.

55. Preference to Cooperative Sugar Mills in purchase of ethanol : Cooperative Sugar Mills have now been put at par with private companies for ethanol procurement by Government of India under the Ethanol Blending Programme (EBP).

56. Strengthening  of  Cooperative  Sugar  Mills  by  converting  their  molasses-based ethanol plants into multi feed ethanol plants: Ministry of Cooperation has taken initiative in consultation  with  National  Federation  of  Cooperative  Sugar  Factories  Ltd.  (NFCSFL)  for conversion of existing molasses-based ethanol plants of CSMs into multi feed ethanol plants. The Cooperative Sugar Mills (CSMs) also produce ethanol from molasses and sugar syrup by installing ethanol production plants. However, the availability of raw material i.e., molasses and sugar syrup for production of ethanol is limited by many factors viz, Government Policy on diversion of sugarcane syrup, B heavy molasses for production of ethanol and duration of sugar cane crushing season and availability of sugarcane depending on rainfall, etc. On account of these limiting factors, the CSMs having ethanol plants are not able to operate them at full capacity  round the  year.  The  Government  of  India  has  prioritized  maize  for  production  of ethanol; therefore, it is prudent for CSMs to convert their existing ethanol production units into multi-feed ethanol production units so that they are able to produce ethanol by using maize as raw material. While NCDC has agreed to provide loan for this purpose, DFPD has launched a scheme exclusively for cooperative sugar mills to provide interest subvention at the rate of 6% per annum or 50% of the actual interest, whichever is lower, for a period of 5 years on their loan.  Further,  OMCs  shall  give  Priority-1  to  CSMs,  who  will  benefit  from  the  Interest Subvention  Scheme,  for  ethanol  procurement,  enabling  transition  from  single  feedstock  to multi-feedstock.

57. Reduction in GST on molasses from 28% to 5%: Government has decided to reduce the GST on molasses from 28% to 5% which will enable cooperative sugar mills to earn more profits for their members by selling molasses to distilleries with higher margins.

58. Revival of closed Cooperative Sugar Mills: Indian Potash Limited on the suggestions of Ministry of Cooperation, has taken an initiative for the revival of closed Cooperative Sugar Mills.  On  08.03.2025,  Hon'ble  Home  and  Cooperation  Minister  performed  the  'Bhoomi Pujan' ceremony for the revival and modernization of Shri Bileshwar Khand Udyog Khedut Sahakari Mandali Ltd., Kodinar and Shri Talala Taluka Sahakari Khand Udhyog Mandali Ltd., Talala. In addition to this, IPL is also taking steps for the revival of Shri Valsad Sahakari Khand Udhyog Mandali, Ltd., Valsad. These steps will benefit thousands of farmers of the area where above cooperative Sugar Mills are located.

## E. Three new National Level Multi-State Societies

59. New National Multi-State Cooperative Seed Society for certified seeds: Government has established a new apex multi-state cooperative seed society under the MSCS Act,  2002,  namely  Bharatiya  Beej  Sahakari  Samiti  Limited  (BBSSL)  as  an  umbrella organization to focus on production, testing, certification, procurement, processing, storage, branding, labelling and packaging of all two generations of seeds i.e. foundation and certified, through  PACS  by  leveraging  various  schemes  and  policies  of  different  ministries  of  the Government of India.  BBSSL has launched its seed under the brand 'Bharat Beej'.  So far, 22,995 PACS/ Cooperative Societies have become members of BBSSL

60. New  National  Multi-State  Cooperative  Organic  Society  for  organic  farming : Government  has  established  a  new  apex  multi-state  cooperative  organic  society  under  the

MSCS Act, 2002, namely National Cooperative Organics  Limited (NCOL) as an umbrella organization to provide institutional support for aggregation, certification, testing, procurement, storage, processing, branding, labelling, packaging, logistic facilities, marketing of  organic  products  and  facilitate  in  arranging  financial  assistance  to  the  organic  farmers through  its  member  Cooperatives  including  PACS/FPOs  along  with  promotional  and developmental activities of organic products with the help of various schemes and agencies of the Government. So far, 7,031 PACS/ cooperative societies have become members of NCOL. NCOL has launched its products under brand name of 'Bharat Organics'. So far  25 organic products (Arhar Dal, Brown Chana, Chana Dal, Kabuli Chana, Masoor Malka, Masoor Split, Masoor Whole, Moong Dhuli, Moong Split, Moong Whole, Rajma Chitra, Urad Dal, Urad Gota, Urad Split, Urad  Whole, Wheat Atta, Jaggery Cube, Jaggery Powder, Brown Sugar, Khandsari Sugar, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Fenugreek, Coriander Whole, Apple Cider Vinegar) under Bharat Organics brand are available in Delhi-NCR. Bharat  Organics products are 100% batch tested for 245+ pesticides in accredited laboratories.

61. New  National  Multi-State  Cooperative  Export  Society  for  promoting  exports : Government has established a new apex multi-state cooperative export society under the MSCS Act, 2002, namely National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL) as an umbrella organization to  focus  on  exporting the  surpluses available in  the  Indian cooperative sector by  accessing wider markets beyond the geographical contours of the country, thereby, increasing the demand of Indian Cooperative products/services across the globe and fetch best possible prices for such products/services. It will promote exports through various activities including procurement, storage,  processing,  marketing,  branding,  labelling,  packaging,  certification,  research  and development,  etc,  and  trading  of  all  types  of  goods  and  services  produced  by  cooperative societies. So far, 9,425 PACS/ cooperative societies have become members of NCEL. NCEL has so far exported approximately 13.09 LMT of Agri commodities like Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sugar, Onion, Cumin seed, etc., worth Rs. 5,397 Crore. During the financial year 2023-24, a dividend of 20% was provided by NCEL to its member cooperatives.

62. Establishment of Beej Anusandhan Kendra (BAK): Hon'ble Home and Cooperation Minister on 6th April 2025 laid the foundation stone for the Beej Anusandhan Kendra, a stateof-the-art research center in Kalol, Gujarat. 'Beej Anusandhan Kendra' will play a pivotal role in  enhancing  farmers'  economic  prosperity  while  also  actively  promoting  innovation  and inclusive growth in the agriculture sector. International Crops Research Institute for the SemiArid  Tropics  (ICRISAT),  the  Indian  Farmers  Fertiliser  Cooperative  Limited  (IFFCO),  and Bhartiya Beej Sahkari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) have formally entered into a Tripartite Service Agreement on 3rd June 2025 to establish the Beej Anusandhan Kendra.

63. Initiative to set up tissue culture facilities for Banana: Due to the availability of bananas throughout the year, affordability, taste, nutritional value, and medicinal properties, bananas  are  in  high  demand  both  domestically  and  internationally,  with  significant  export potential.  Bharatiya  Beej  Sahakari  Limited  (BBSSL)  has  decided  to  set  up  Tissue  Culture Facility (TCF) for banana in the States of Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh. Through these facilities, BBSSL will maintain 'true to the type' mother plants, produce tissuecultured  banana  saplings/plantlets  and  distribute  100%  disease-free  saplings/plantlets  to farmers.  This  will  ensure  high-quality  planting  materials  are  available  to  farmers  and  that sustainable growth in their income is ensured.

64. Initiative to conserve and preserve traditional natural seeds: Growing interest of farmers towards chemical-free Indian traditional natural farming methods, in all likelihood, will increase the demand for traditional natural seeds. Therefore, concerted effort is required for  the  conservation,  reproduction,  and  promotion  of  these  seeds.  "Bhartiya  Beej  Sahakari Samiti  Limited  (BBSSL)" has taken initiative to identify natural seeds of indigenous plant variants,  including  but  not  restricted  to  seeds  of  food  grain,  vegetables,  fruits,  etc.  and  to develop  a  system  for  their  preservation,  conservation,  breeding,  production,  distribution, promotion  and  all  other  activities  needed.  State  Governments  and  Technical  institutions engaged in the area of promotion of natural indigenous seeds have been requested to provide every possible administrative, institutional, and technical support to BBSSL to advance this important work at the national level.

## F. Capacity Building in Cooperatives

65. Establishment  of  Cooperative  University: The  Ministry  of  Cooperation  has established a national-level university in the cooperative sector, namely, 'Tribhuvan' Sahkari University (TSU) by converting the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA). It has been established and declared as an institution of national importance through an Act of Parliament. In this regard, 'Tribhuvan' Sahkari University Bill, 2025 was passed by the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha on 1 st April and 26th March,2025 respectively. Thereafter, assent was also obtained from the Hon'ble President on the bill on 3rd April 2025. Further, the Gazette notification for commencement of the Act and for establishment of the university were issued on 4th April, 2025, establishing the university w.e.f. 6th April 2025.

Since the University has been established after converting an existing institute, that is, Institute of  Rural  Management  Anand  (IRMA),  it  has  become  functional  immediately.  Further,  the appointment of officiating Vice-Chancellor, Registrar & Finance officer has already been done. Governing  Board  of  the  University  and  Executive  Council  have  also  been  constituted  and Statutes of the University have been notified.

Moreover, the land for construction of additional infrastructure has also been allotted by the Government of Gujarat on a lease basis for 50 years and the foundation stone laying has also been done for the new building of the University on 5 th July 2025.

Seven Committees have been constituted to expedite the operationalization of the university. These committees are headed by AS/JS level Officer of the Ministry and one of the committees is headed by VC of TSU.

66. The  Ministry  has  completed  a  comprehensive  national-level  study  on  the  National Labour  Cooperative  Federation  (NLCF)  through  AFC  India  Ltd.,  generating  strategic recommendations to reposition NLCF as a business-driven entity with improved infrastructure, diversified services, and robust training initiatives.

67. The Ministry has completed an Impact Assessment Study to evaluate the effectiveness of  measures  undertaken  by  the  Ministry,  generating  actionable  insights  to  further  enhance cooperative sector resilience and inclusivity through LINAC.

68. The Ministry of Cooperation has commissioned  a  strategic  study  to assess  NCUI's growth potential during Amrit Kaal (2022-2047). Conducted by AFC India Ltd., the study aims to ensure compliance with Section 24 of the MSCS Act, modernize cooperative education, develop a  25-year  growth  roadmap,  and  strengthen NCUI's  governance,  outreach,  training infrastructure, and role in cooperative sector development nationwide.

69. The Ministry of Cooperation has launched a national study through AFC India Ltd. to boost FISHCOPFED's business growth during Amrit Kaal (2022-2047). It aims to achieve 25%  growth  via  diversification,  governance  reforms,  digital  outreach,  and  cooperative strengthening.  Covering  six  states  and  multiple  stakeholder  levels,  the  study  will  generate strategic plans to modernize fisheries cooperatives and enhance their socio-economic impact nationwide.

70. Special Module on Cooperatives in India: Under  the  guidance of  the Ministry  of Cooperation, and in consultation with the NCERT, the NCCT has designed and prepared a Special Module on Cooperation which aims to bring awareness among school students about the role of cooperatives in nation building so that they are encouraged to choose cooperatives as a career. The Special Module will be introduced for the Secondary stage students of NCERT Schools.

71. Cooperatives in Schools: NCERT has included chapter on cooperatives for Class 6 in its school curriculum under persuasion by NCCT with the direction of Ministry of Cooperation which help the class students to be aware of cooperative movement in brief.

72. Strengthening of Finance: A new Object Head 'Grants-in-Aid General' for NCCT has been opened by the Ministry of Cooperation which will enable NCCT to continue crucial work in Cooperative Training and Education to fulfill mission of strengthening cooperation. Earlier, most of the funds for training purposes were met out of Training and Development Fund (TDF) which is meant for meeting the liabilities on repair and infrastructure development. Since this was not feasible in the long run, opening of new head will ease the pressure on TDF Fund and it will be available for the purposes it is meant.

73. Constitution of Building Sub-Committee for each Institute of NCCT to ensure timely Building infrastructure Development.

74. Utilisation of Training Development Fund/ Building Fund: Sanction accorded to various Institutes to utilise their Training Development Fund/ Building Fund for the purpose of  renovation  /  Repair  of  Building  infrastructure  and  purchase  of  Fixed  Assets  (office equipments etc.)

75. A new 3 storied International Hostel has been added to the existing infrastructure at VAMNICOM with capacity of 50 twin sharing rooms participants and 3 no. of VIP suites. The hostel also has Kitchen, Dining Hall, Reading room, a classroom of 50 capacity, a discussion room, a gymnasium and an office space. This building has been constructed out of the Capital Grant of Rs.30 crore received from Ministry of Cooperation, Govt. of India.

76. New  Course: VAMNICOM  has  initiated  to  launch  a  new  programme  PGDMCooperation  for  the  Academic  year  2025  affiliated  to  AICTE  New  Delhi  with  an  intake capacity  of  30  students.  The  GD  (Group  Discussion)  and  PI  (Personal  Interview)  of  the programme is scheduled to be held on 20th July 2025 at VAMNICOM, Pune.

77. Pilot Project - comprehensive training for PACS : Pilot Project was undertaken for training of Members, Board of Directors, Chief Executive Officers/ Secretaries of PACS in four districts of four states namely; Una (Himachal Pradesh), Jodhpur (Rajasthan), Sambalpur (Odisha), and Theni (Tamil Nadu).  The contents of the training included topics like concept and benefits of cooperatives, roles and responsibilities of the above-mentioned categories of cooperative personnel, Model Bye-Laws with opportunities for business diversification, etc. Under the project, a total of 85,219 participants belonging to 284 PACS were trained in 4 States. Wide publicity was given by posting the photographs and content on all social media platforms.

78. Training Programme for PACS for CSC Portal: NCCT in collaboration with CSC e-Governance Services India Limited, conducted Training Programmes for PACS on-boarded into  CSC  Portal.  The  objective  of  the  Training  programmes  was  to  train  the  Secretaries/ Computer  operators  of  30,000  PACS  for  diversifying  the  business  activities  of  Primary Agricultural  Cooperative  Societies  through  300  Services  of  CSC  portal.  A  total  of  648 programmes conducted and trained 30210 PACS participants from 564 districts spread across 25 states.

79. Training Programme for Newly Established Multi-Purpose Cooperative Societies: During the month of July, 2025, the NCCT has started conducting the training programmes for newly established MPCS on the directions of Ministry. As on 20.06.2025, a total of 22283 MPCS have been established in the country (As per NCD Portal) all of which may be covered for the training purpose.

80. Capacity  Building  and  Training  Programmes  under  PMFBY/  RWBCIS: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between National Council for Cooperative Training  (NCCT) and Crop Insurance Division  of Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare,  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  (MoA&FW),  GoI,  New  Delhi  on 20.01.2025.  The objective of the MoU is to enable a larger ecosystem for creating a capacity building  and  knowledge  management  framework  under  PMFBY/  RWBCIS  Schemes. Accordingly,  NCCT  has  submitted  a  proposal  to  MoA&FW  for  conducting  200  training programmes and to train 10,000 participants of PACS, which is under their consideration at present.

81. Launch of Academic Journal RICM, Chandigarh has launched a biannual peerreviewed  journal  titled  'Sahkarita  Anusandhan  -  A  Multidisciplinary  Journal  of  Social

Science' has been launched to promote research and knowledge dissemination in the field of cooperatives and social sciences

82. Revival  of  PGDM-ABM  Programme: RICM,  Chandigarh  has  taken  initiative  to revive  the  Post  Graduate  Diploma  in  Management  -  Agri-Business  Management  (PGDMABM), duly approved by AICTE.

## G. Use of Information Technology for 'Ease of Doing Business'

83. Computerization of the Central Registrar's Office :  Central Registrar's office has been computerized to create a digital ecosystem for Multi-State Cooperative Societies, which is assisting in processing applications and service requests in a time bound manner.

84. Scheme  for  computerization  of  office  of  RCSs  in  States/  Union  Territories: Centrally sponsored project for computerization of RCS offices in States/Union Territories has been approved by the Central Government on 06.10.2023 with a budgetary outlay of Rs.94.59 crore for three years w.e.f. 2023-24. This is a part of the umbrella project of 'Strengthening Cooperatives Through IT Interventions' of the Ministry. The project aims to enhance the ease of  doing  business  for  Cooperative  Societies  and  create  a  digital  ecosystem  for  transparent paperless  interaction  of  cooperative  societies  with  the  RCS  offices  in  all  States/Union Territories. Under the project, grants are being provided to the States/ UTs for procurement of hardware, development of software, maintenance & upgradation of software, etc. The software developed under this scheme will be as per the Cooperative Acts of the respective States/UTs. During the financial years 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 (up to 30 th June 2025), 35 States/UTs have submitted their proposals, and Rs 19.73 crore has been released as the Government of India share to States/UTs.

85. Computerization  of  Agriculture  and  Rural  Development  Banks  (ARDBs): To strengthen the long-term cooperative credit structure, the project of computerization of 1,867 units of Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDBs) spread across 13 States/ Union Territories has been approved by the Government. NABARD is the implementing agency for the project. So far, proposals from 10 States/UTs have been received and sanctioned. Further, GOI share amounting to Rs 7.18 crore has been released to 10 States/UTs in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25 for procurement of hardware, digitization and setting up of support system.

## H. Steps taken by National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)

86. Increase in loan disbursement: Disbursement of financial assistance by NCDC has increased almost 4 times from ₹24,733.20 crore in FY 2020-21 to ₹95,182.84 crore in FY 202425. NCDC has achieved more than 40% CAGR in disbursement during these four years.

87. Introduction of Floating Interest Rate: NCDC took a significant step in reforming its financial system by introducing floating interest rate. This step resulted in reduction of term loan  interest  rate  by  about  2%.  Floating  interest  rate  means  that  the  interest  rate  changes depending on the market conditions and other financial factors, thereby providing the benefit of lower interest rate to the end borrowers.

88. Adoption of Differential Rate: NCDC adopted the differential rate mechanism, under which  different  interest  rates  are  provided  to  different  loan  borrowers.  This  mechanism customizes the loan rate keeping in view the financial status of the borrowers and their capacity, so that the borrowers get financial assistance at better rates according to their situation.

89. Registration  under  CGTMSE,  CGSFPO  &  CGFT-AHD: This step enables cooperatives to get collateral free loans from NCDC.

90. MoU between NDDB and NCDC: NCDC and National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on financing, training and capacity building of dairy cooperatives. Under this agreement, both the institutions will together provide financial  and  technical  assistance  to  empower  small  producers  in  the  dairy  sector,  thereby increasing the income of farmers and strengthening dairy societies.

91. Appraisal of large projects of other lenders by NCDC: NCDC has started appraisal of large projects of other lenders who do not have the required expertise. For instance, NCDC appraised three dairy projects for Gujarat State Cooperative Bank, wherein detailed review and evaluation of the projects was done.

92. Expansion of geographical reach: NCDC has expanded its geographical reach by opening  a  new  Regional  Office  at  Vijayawada  (Andhra  Pradesh)  and  new  Sub-offices  in Jammu  &  Kashmir,  Ladakh,  Sikkim,  Manipur,  Mizoram,  Tripura,  Arunachal  Pradesh, Meghalaya and Nagaland.

93. Appointment  of  Young  Professionals: NCDC  has  appointed  young  professionals having expertise in various fields. This includes 12 CA/CMA/Inter, 31 MBA and other young professionals. This move is aimed towards increasing the efficiency of the Corporation.

94. Sahakar  Taxi  Cooperative  Limited  (India's  first  Cooperative  led  Mobility platform): Sahakar Taxi Cooperative Limited is an innovative, cooperative-based mobility solution designed  to  empower drivers and provide  affordable, reliable transportation  to  the public. Rooted in the principles of cooperation, transparency and shared ownership, Sahakar Taxi stands as a people-centric alternative to traditional ride-hailing platforms. The project is promoted by National Cooperative  Development  Corporation (NCDC)  alongwith by  seven other leading organisations Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Limited (IFFCO), National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED), Anand Milk Union Limited  (AMUL),  Krishak  Bharati  Cooperative  Limited  (KRIBHCO),  National  Dairy Development  Board  (NDDB),  National  Cooperative  Export  Limited  (NCEL)  and  National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). This project has been named as 'Bharat Taxi'.  After completion of requisite formalities 'Bharat Taxi' will be launched in December 2025.

95. Grant-in-aid to NCDC: It was announced in the Budget 2025-26 speech by Hon'ble Finance Minister that Government of India will provide assistance to NCDC for its lending operations for the cooperative sector. Accordingly, the Expenditure Finance Committee in its meeting held on 09.06.2025 recommended a grant of ₹2000 crore to NCDC. Based on receipt of ₹2000 crore from the Government over 4 years, NCDC will be able to raise ₹20,000 crore from the market. These funds will be used by NCDC for providing long term and working capital loans to cooperative sectors such as dairy, poultry, fisheries and textiles. The proposal is expected to be approved by the Cabinet shortly.

96. New  Proposed  Scheme  for  Cooperative  Sector: A  new  scheme  on  the  lines  of CSISAC is being formulated for development of cooperatives through NCDC. With an outlay of ₹24,000 crore, the scheme will benefit 29,050 cooperative societies and more than one crore members.

97. Cooperative Intern: 385  cooperative interns are being recruited  covering  all Rural Cooperative Banks (State Cooperative Banks and District Cooperative Banks). The scheme aims  to  develop  the  overall  capacity  of  cooperative  organisations  and  promote  digital  and business skills at the grassroots level. The interns are being given a monthly remuneration of ₹25,000,  which  is  reimbursed  from  the  Cooperative  Education  Fund  (CEF).  NCDC  is monitoring the implementation of the scheme. So far, 225 trainees have been selected.

## I. Creation of National Cooperative Database (NCD)

98. New National Cooperative Database for authentic and updated data repository: A comprehensive database of cooperatives in the country has been developed with the support of State  Governments  to  facilitate  stakeholders  in  policy  making  and  implementation  of programmes/ schemes related to cooperatives across the country. So far, the database includes data on around 8.4 lakh cooperatives from 30 different sectors, involving approximately 32 crore members.

99. Cooperative Ranking Framework: The Government launched the Cooperative Ranking Framework on 24th January 2025 to assess and rank cooperatives State-wise and sector-wise. This ranking framework enables State RCS to assess Cooperative Societies' performance based on key parameters, including audit compliance, operational activities, financial performance, infrastructure,  and  basic  identity  information.  The  RCS  of  the  States/  UTs  can  generate rankings of Cooperative Societies, initially of 7 major sectors namely PACS, Dairy, Fishery, Urban Cooperative Banks, Housing, Credit and Thrift, and Khadi and Gram Udyog through NCD portal. This ranking system aims to enhance transparency, reliability and competitiveness among cooperative societies, ultimately fostering their growth. Furthermore, top-performing cooperative  societies  in  each  sector  will  be  recognized  and  honoured  by  the  Ministry  of Cooperation  and  respective  State/  UT  authorities,  aligning  with  the  objectives  of  the International Year of Cooperatives.

100. Facility for States / UTs to fetch data through API from NCD portal: The Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) has successfully completed the development of a standard API for pushing entire data of cooperative societies of the State from NCD portal to the States / UTs. A detailed Standard  API  Specification  Document,  database  schema  and  State-specific  access  key  for secure API access have been shared with all State/UT Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) offices on 27.05.2025. These documents aim to facilitate the integration of the State/UT RCS applications  with  the  NCD  portal,  ensuring  that  data  updates  on  the  NCD  portal  occur automatically and in real-time via API-based integration. As per the integration plan, it is also essential for States/UTs to develop a reverse/pull API at their end to fetch the relevant data from the NCD portal into their local systems /  RCS portals. This two-way integration will ensure synchronization of cooperative data across platforms.

## J. Policy and Outreach

101. National  Cooperation  Policy  (NCP): The  formulation  of  New  National  Cooperation Policy  (NCP)  has  been  envisaged  to  fulfil  the  mandate  of  the  Ministry  of  Cooperation  "Sahakar se Samriddhi." A National level committee was constituted on 02.09.2022 under Shri Suresh Prabhakar Prabhu with experts of the cooperative sector, representatives from National/ State/ District/ Primary level cooperative societies, Secretaries (Cooperation) and RCSs from States/  UTs  and  officers  from  Central  Ministries/  Departments  to  formulate  the  New Cooperation Policy to provide a framework to unlock the true potential of the Cooperative sector.  The Committee conducted four regional  workshops  throughout the country to elicit suggestions from stakeholders. The received suggestions have been incorporated into the draft policy appropriately. The draft policy has been prepared and will be unveiled shortly.

102. International Year of Cooperatives - 2025 in India: The United Nations has declared 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC 2025) to highlight the role of cooperatives in  economic  growth,  social  inclusion,  and  sustainability.  The  Ministry  of  Cooperation  has developed  an  action  plan  in  collaboration  with  all  the  stakeholders  of  cooperative  sector emphasizing transparency, policy reforms, and rural economic transformation through PACS. This Action Plan was launched by Hon'ble Home and Cooperation Minister on 24.01.2025. For coordinated planning and implementation, the Ministry constituted  IYC-National Cooperative Committee, IYC-National Execution Committee, and IYC-State Apex Committees. Further, actions for IYC were also included in Terms of References of the State Cooperative Development Committees and District Cooperative Development Committees.

During IYC-2025 extensive awareness and outreach campaigns have been carried out, ensuring nationwide visibility of the IYC logo through Indian Railways E-tickets, cooperative product packaging,  official  websites  and  official  communications.  Key  national-level  initiatives included the successful organization of the National Conference of State Cooperation Ministers on 30th June, 2025 and national event on 06th July, 2025 on the occasion of 4th Foundation Day of the Ministry of Cooperation at Anand, Gujarat.  A dedicated plantation drive under 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' campaign during IYC is being undertaken with active participation of all the stakeholders, along with various capacity-building activities, exhibitions, and cooperative promotion  drives,  reflecting  its  commitment  to  making  IYC  2025  a  landmark  year  for  the cooperative movement.

103. Strengthening Media Outreach of the Ministry: Over the past four years, the Ministry of Cooperation has significantly strengthened its digital and media outreach to enhance public engagement  and  awareness  about  the  cooperative  sector.  Leveraging  both  traditional  and digital  platforms,  the  Ministry,  in  collaboration  with  PIB,  has  consistently  published  Press Releases, articles in leading newspapers, while simultaneously expanding its presence across social media. All national-level events chaired by the Hon'ble Prime Minister and the Hon'ble

Home and Cooperation Minister are live-streamed on the Ministry's YouTube channel. Press releases, news updates, and achievements are regularly shared on the official website, with multilingual access for wider inclusion.

Today, the Ministry's combined following across platforms-including X (Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and WhatsApp-stands at over 6 lakh followers/subscribers, with total video viewership crossing 1.4 crore views on YouTube. Notably, the Ministry of Cooperation ranks 4th among all Ministries on YouTube and 7th in website engagement and traffic,  reflecting  its  growing  digital  impact.  Special  campaigns  and  posts  on  landmark initiatives consistently garner high engagement, especially during major events and national observances.

104. Promotion  of  Cooperative  Awareness  through  Monthly  Publications: To  enhance outreach,  awareness,  and  capacity-building  within  the  cooperative  sector,  the  Ministry  of Cooperation  is  publishing  two  monthly  magazines-Sahakar  Uday  (through  IFFCO)  and Sahakar  Jagran  (through  NCUI)-since  April  2023.  Published  in  Hindi,  English,  and  11 regional  languages, these  magazines  serve  as  vital  platforms  for disseminating  information about  key  policies,  schemes,  initiatives,  and  success  stories  of  the  Ministry  and  the  wider cooperative movement. Sahakar Uday has been publishing nearly 3 lakh copies monthly, while Sahakar Jagran has a circulation of about 2.75 lakh copies every month. These publications help inform and empower cooperative members at the grassroots level by providing timely, relevant, and inspirational content.

## K. Multi-State Cooperative Societies

105. Multi-State  Co-operative  Societies  (Amendment)  Act,  2023: Amendment  has  been brought  in  the  MSCS  Act,  2002  to  strengthen  governance,  enhance  transparency,  increase accountability,  reform  electoral  process  and  incorporate  provisions  of  97th  Constitutional Amendment in the Multi State Cooperative Societies.

106. Cooperative Ombudsman: Following  the  amendment  in  the  Multi-State  Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, Cooperative Ombudsman has been appointed under Section 85A of  the said Act vide  gazette notification  dated 05.03.2024. The  Ombudsman office is fully functional and deals with complaints or appeals, from members of the MSCS regarding their deposits, equitable benefits of the Multi-State Co-operative Society's functioning or any other issue affecting the individual rights of the concerned member.

107. Cooperative Election Authority (CEA): Following the amendment in the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, the Cooperative Election Authority has been set up to strengthen governance and accountability, with a mandate to conduct free and fair election in all MSCSs. Elections in more than 135 MSCS have been conducted successfully up to June, 2025.

108. Inclusion of Cooperatives as 'buyers' on GeM portal: The Government has permitted cooperatives to register as 'buyer' on GeM, enabling them to procure goods and services from over 67 lakh vendors to facilitate economical purchases and greater transparency. So far, 574 cooperative societies have been onboarded on GeM as buyers.

109. Refund  to  Investors  of  Sahara  Group  of  Societies: A  portal  has  been  launched  for making payments to the genuine depositors of the cooperative societies of Sahara Group in a transparent  manner.  Disbursements  have  already  started  after  proper  identification  and submission of proof of their deposits and claims. So far, Rs. 4548.09 crores have been disbursed to 22.56 lakh applicants.

## L. Other initiatives

110. Enhancing market access to cooperative products through quick commerce platform of Swiggy instamart : Ministry of Cooperation has entered into an MoU with Swiggy Limited on  25.04.2025  to  collaborate  to  enhance  the  digital  and  market  integration  of  cooperative products, facilitate policy discussions, and drive consumer engagement with the cooperative sector, with an aim to promote Indian cooperative sector and realize the vision of 'Sahkar se Samriddhi'. The purpose of this MoU is to establish a strategic partnership between MoC and Swiggy to enhance digital integration and market access for cooperative products, particularly in the dairy and organic sector, and facilitate capacity building for cooperatives in areas such as digital marketing, logistics, and consumer technology. The Scope of the MoU includes the following:

- I. Swiggy, in collaboration with the Ministry of Cooperation, would engage on awareness campaign for cooperative movement/ organisations/ products in India.
2. II.Encourage onboarding of cooperative dairy products and support for preferred access through Swiggy's Instamart platform for cooperatives.
3. III.Swiggy, in collaboration with the ministry, will support the cooperative brands in the areas of marketing, promotion, consumer technology and capacity building efforts.
4. IV.Swiggy will create a separate  cooperative  category  on its platform,  with  a  focus  on brands  promoted  by cooperative organisations  for products such as  Organics, Dairy, Millets, Handicrafts, etc.
- V. The  initiative  will  enhance  digital  access,  create  sustainable  growth  opportunities, maximize the impact of cooperatives in the digital economy, and capacity building for cooperatives through mutually agreed upon projects.

111. Ministry of Cooperation is committed for redressal of grievances in an effective and time bound manner. During 2023-2024 Ministry of Cooperation has disposed more than 31,000 grievances received through CPGRAMS portal with the lowest average closing time of 2 days.

112. The Ministry has successfully transferred the Cooperative Education Fund (CEF) account from  NCUI  to  the  Ministry  of  Cooperation  following  the  enactment  of  the  Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023, and instituted a dedicated framework for its management and utilization.

113. Sustainability and Circularity in the Dairy Sector :  An important objective added to White Revolution 2.0 is the promotion of sustainability and circularity in the dairy sector. The strategy to achieve the objective would be to embed sustainability and circularity across the dairy value chain by promoting climate-smart practices, efficient resource use, and renewable solutions to build a low-emission, income-generating ecosystem. Hon'ble  Home  & Cooperation  Minister  inaugurated  a  workshop  on  this  issue  on  03.03.2025.  The  action  for sustainability and circularity in the dairy sector is guided by the vision of 'Gold out of Garbage ( कचरे से कं चन )'.  Under  this  initiative,  it  is  envisaged  to  set  up  three  multi-state  cooperative societies for the following activities:

i.For the production of animal feed, disease control, and artificial insemination. ii.For the management of cow and buffalo dung. iii. For the management of hides, bones, and horns of dead cattle and buffaloes.

114. Establishment of Sardar Patel Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited (SPCDF): A new  Multi-state  Cooperative  Society  by  name  Sardar  Patel  Cooperative  Dairy  Federation Limited (SPCDF) has been launched by Hon'ble Home & Cooperation Minister on 06.07.2025, with an initial capital of ₹ 200 crore. SPCDF will enable more than 20 lakh dairy farmers from over 20,000 villages in 20 states (Jammu & Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,  Assam,  West  Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Telangana) to become direct members of an organized cooperative structure. Through SPCDF, farmers will benefit from assured milk procurement, improved veterinary care, enhanced cattle nutrition, and modern dairy practices. Investments in robust cold chain infrastructure, chilling centers, and efficient processing facilities will further strengthen quality standards and support the rising demand for safe, hygienic dairy products.

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