Lok Sabha Question No. 2719 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-16
Subject: National Cooperative Policy, 2025
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Shri Amar Sharadrao Kale

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2719 ANSWERED ON 16 th  DECEMBER, 2025

National Cooperative Policy, 2025

| 2719. Shri Amar Sharadrao Kale                                                                                                                                              | 2719. Shri Amar Sharadrao Kale                                                                                                                                              |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| Will the Minister of COOPERATION ( सहकारिता मंत्री ) be pleased to state:                                                                                                   | Will the Minister of COOPERATION ( सहकारिता मंत्री ) be pleased to state:                                                                                                   |
| (a) the specific mechanisms suggested in the National Cooperative Policy, 2025 to maintain democracy and trust in cooperative institutions;                                 | (a) the specific mechanisms suggested in the National Cooperative Policy, 2025 to maintain democracy and trust in cooperative institutions;                                 |
| (b) the manner in which the Government proposes to standardize the curriculum and teaching methodology for cooperative education under the new policy;                      | (b) the manner in which the Government proposes to standardize the curriculum and teaching methodology for cooperative education under the new policy;                      |
| (c) whether the Tribhuvan Cooperative University (TSU) has initiated the process to appoint its first Vice-Chancellor after August 2025 and if so, the details thereof; and | (c) whether the Tribhuvan Cooperative University (TSU) has initiated the process to appoint its first Vice-Chancellor after August 2025 and if so, the details thereof; and |
| (d) the details of the outcome assessment of the adoption of model bye-laws for PACS in all States except West Bengal?                                                      | (d) the details of the outcome assessment of the adoption of model bye-laws for PACS in all States except West Bengal?                                                      |
| ANSWER                                                                                                                                                                      | ANSWER                                                                                                                                                                      |
| THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH)                                                                                                                | THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH)                                                                                                                |
| (a) The details of the specific mechanisms proposed in the National Cooperative Policy (NCP),                                                                               | (a) The details of the specific mechanisms proposed in the National Cooperative Policy (NCP),                                                                               |
| 2025 to maintain democracy and trust in cooperatives are reproduce below as given in                                                                                        | 2025 to maintain democracy and trust in cooperatives are reproduce below as given in                                                                                        |
| following sub-sections of NCP-                                                                                                                                              | following sub-sections of NCP-                                                                                                                                              |
| 3.1.1                                                                                                                                                                       | Encourage States/UTs to suitably amend their respective Cooperative Societies                                                                                               |
| Acts and Rules to provide autonomy, enhance the ease of doing business and good                                                                                             | Acts and Rules to provide autonomy, enhance the ease of doing business and good                                                                                             |
| 3.1.1.1                                                                                                                                                                     | ensure autonomous functioning and democratic member control,                                                                                                                |
| 3.1.1.3                                                                                                                                                                     | ensure free and fair elections of Board of Directors and office bearers,                                                                                                    |
| 3.1.1.4                                                                                                                                                                     | ensure transparent recruitment processes,                                                                                                                                   |

- 3.1.4. Encourage  States/UTs  to  completely  digitalize  all  processes  of  States'  Registrar offices (as provisioned in their respective Acts) to make them paperless to:
- 3.1.4.1. Facilitate all types of communications and interactions with cooperative societies with the Registrar offices through online digital means, such as web portals, e-mail messaging, mobile phone-based messaging, etc.,
- 6.1.4. Facilitate the development and adoption of model bye-laws for cooperatives across different tiers and sectors with a focus on strengthening members to:
- 6.1.4.1. ensure the active participation of members,
- 6.1.4.2. make provision for a mechanism that collects member-centric feedback and promote the activation of dormant members,
- 6.1.4.3. promote membership among women and weaker sections of the community
- 6.1.4.4. ensure centrality of members in decision-making,
- 6.1.4.5. ensure transparent and corruption-free organizational governance,
- 6.1.4.6. promote the induction of young and qualified manpower for various positions.
- (b) The University will serve as the apex institution for cooperative education and training. It will  strive  to  implement  standardized  curricula  and  teaching  methodologies  through  its affiliated institutions, Centres of Excellence, and outlying campuses across the country.
- (c)  The  appointment  process  for  the  first  Vice-Chancellor  (VC)  of  the  Tribhuvan  Sahkari University (TSU) was initiated in the first week of July 2025 itself. Advertisement for inviting applications for the post of the Vice-Chancellor issued in National Dailies from 12th July 2025 to 11th August 2025, through the e-Samarth portal of the Ministry of Education.

Search-cum-Selection  Committee  has  been  constituted  as  per  the  Statutes  of  the University.

- (d)   In  order  to  link  PACSs  with  central  schemes  like  PM-KISAN,  PMKSK,  and  PMBJK, 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 Byelaws 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.  Ministry  of  Cooperation  has  taken  multiple  measures  to integrate Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) with PM-KISAN and other Central schemes like PMKSK, and PMBJK; with a view to making PACS loc al-level service delivery hubs for farmers. These include:

1. ERP-enabled Convergence with Farmer Databases: The Centrally Sponsored Project on Computerization  of  PACS  provides  a  uniform  ERP-based  platform  by  integrating  national portals  such  as  PM-KISAN,  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Samriddhi  Kendra(PMKSK),  interest subvention, fertiliser and seed distribution, PDS outlets, LPG/Petrol/Diesel dealerships, custom hiring,  PM  Jan  Aushadhi  Kendras,  Common  Service  Centres,  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima Yojana (PMFBY), etc.

2. Multi-Sectoral Scheme Linkages: PACS have also been enabled to participate in a range of Central schemes, including:

- i. PACS as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSK) providing fertilizers, pesticides and various other agri inputs to farmers under one roof. So far, 38,330 PACS have been upgraded into PMKSKs.
- ii. PACS as Common Service Centers (CSCs) to deliver more than 300 e-services such as banking, insurance, electricity bill payments, health services, legal services, etc. to rural citizens; etc. So far, 51,183 PACS have started functioning as CSC.
- iii. PACS  as  Pradhan  Mantri  Bhartiya  Janaushadhi  Kendras  (PMBJK)  to  ensure availability of quality generic medicines to rural citizens at affordable prices. So far,  799  PACS  have  got  Store  Codes  from  PMBI  and  are  ready  to  function  as PMBJK.
- iv. PACS made eligible  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.
- v. 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
6. vi.
7. 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. PACS  made  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.
- vii. PACS have been made eligible to carry out Operations & Maintenance (O&M) of piped water supply schemes in rural areas. As per information received from States/ UTs, 763 PACS have been identified/ selected by 11 States/ UTs to provide O&M services at Panchayat/ Village level.

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