Lok Sabha Question No. 2981 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-10
Subject: National Cooperation Policy
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2981 ANSWERED ON 10 th  MARCH, 2026

## National Cooperation Policy

## 2981. Adv Gowaal Kagada Padavi:

Will the Minister of COOPERATION ( सहकारिता मंत्री) be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government has launched or given effect to the National Cooperation Policy 2025 aimed at revitalising the cooperative sector across India, including Maharashtra, if so, the details thereof;

(b)  the  number  of  new  primary  agricultural  credit  societies  (PACS)  or  multipurpose cooperatives sanctioned under this policy in Maharashtra for 2025 and the financial allocation involved;

(c) whether any specific provision has been made in this policy for tribal and border districts (such as Nandurbar Lok Sabha Constituency) to boost cooperative entrepreneurship, if so, the details thereof;

(d) the steps being taken by the Ministry to digitise cooperative societies, integrate them with national databases (e.g., National Cooperative Database) and improve governance;

(e)  the  manner  the  Government  proposes  to  strengthen  the  link  between  cooperatives  and agricultural value-chains, dairy and allied sectors in Maharashtra; and

(f)  the  timeline  by  which  full  implementation  of  the  policy  in  Maharashtra,  (including retrofitting existing societies) is expected and the metrics for progress?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION सहकारिता मंत्री (SHRI AMIT SHAH)

(a): Yes, sir. The National Cooperation Policy, 2025, was launched on 24 July 2025 by the Hon'ble Home & Cooperation Minister. The formulation of this policy has been envisaged to fulfil  the  mandate  of  the  Ministry  of  Cooperation  -  " Sahkar-se-Samriddhi ."  It  provides  a roadmap for the systematic and holistic development of the cooperative sector. It has 6 strategic pillars, 16 objectives, and 83 recommendations.

(b):  The  National  Cooperation  Policy,  2025,  provides  a  roadmap  and  contains  policy recommendations to achieve the objectives outlined in the policy. It does not  prescribe the number of primary agricultural  credit  societies  (PACS)  or  multipurpose  cooperatives  to  be formed in this country.

(c):  One  of  the  six  strategic  mission  pillars  of  the  National  Cooperation  Policy,  2025  is "Promoting Inclusivity and Deepening Reach". Under this pillar, one of the objectives (section 6.1) states as follows: 'To promote inclusivity and member centrality'. The recommendation (sub-section  6.1.1)  under  this  objective  calls  for  encouraging  the  participation  of  women, youth, small & marginal farmers, and weaker sections (SC/ST, specially-abled, etc.) to foster inclusivity  and  assign  them  significant  roles  in  cooperatives.  Further,  the  recommendation (sub-section 6.1.2) under this objective calls for strengthening and promoting cooperatives for the  weaker  and  marginalized  sections  in  sectors  like  fisheries,  dairy,  handloom  weaving, handicrafts, minor forest produce, etc. These recommendations will strengthen the cooperative movement in tribal districts.

(d): The  following  steps  have  been  taken  by  the  Ministry  to  digitise  cooperative  societies, integrate  them  with  national  databases  (e.g.,  National  Cooperative  Database),  and  improve governance:

(i) Strengthening of PACS through Computerization :  To strengthen PACS, a project for the 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 National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) through StCBs and DCCBs. A total of 79,630 PACS from 31 States/ UTs have been sanctioned under the project. A total of 61,025 PACS have been onboarded on Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) Software, and hardware has been procured by 30 States/UTs.

(ii) 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  10.89  crore  has  been  released  to  10 States/UTs  in  FY  2023-24,  FY  24-25,  and  FY  2025-26  for  procurement  of  hardware, digitization, and setting up of support system.

(iii) Computerization of the Central Registrar's Office : The 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.

(iv)  Computerization  of  the  office  of  Registrar  of  Cooperative  Societies  (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 efficiency of the offices of RCS and increase 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 20 th January, 2026), 35 States/UTs have submitted their proposals, and Rs 26.82 crore has been released as the Government of India's share to States/UTs.

(v)  Sahakar Sarathi (Shared Service Entity): Sahakar Sarathi (Shared Service Entity) Private Limited has been established after approval of the RBI to provide a common IT infrastructure to Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs) so that RCBs are made digitally-enabled to offer modern banking services to their customers. It has launched 13 services for the Rural Cooperative Banking Sector.

(v) Umbrella Organization for Urban Cooperative Banks: National Federation of Urban Co-operative  Banks  and  Credit  Societies  Ltd.  (NAFCUB)  has  been  established  on  the approval  of  the  RBI  as  an  Umbrella  Organization  (UO)  for  the  UCB  sector,  which  is providing necessary IT infrastructure and operational support to around 1,500 UCBs. It has launched various services like Digi Loan and Digi Pay.

(e): The Government is strengthening the link between cooperatives and agricultural value chains,  dairy  and  allied  sectors  in  the  country,  including  Maharashtra,  through  several initiatives, and some of the important initiatives are as follows:

1. Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL): The Government has established Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) under the MSCS Act, 2002, as an apex multi-state cooperative seed society to support seed production, testing, certification, procurement, processing, storage, branding, and marketing through PACS and other cooperatives. BBSSL has launched seeds under the brand 'Bharat Beej'. So far, 33,077 PACS/cooperative societies have become members of BBSSL, including 5,012  members  from  Maharashtra.  Further,  BBSSL  is  in  the  process  of  setting  up banana  tissue  culture  facilities  in  Maharashtra,  which  will  ensure  the  supply  of affordable, disease-free planting material to farmers.
2. National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL): The Government has established National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL) under the MSCS Act, 2002, as an apex multi-state cooperative  society  to  provide  institutional  support  for  aggregation, certification, testing, procurement, storage, processing, branding, packaging, logistics and marketing of organic products through member cooperatives, including PACS/FPOs.  So  far,  11,823  PACS/cooperative  societies  have  become  members  of NCOL, including 341 members from Maharashtra.
3. National  Cooperative  Export  Limited  (NCEL): The  Government  has  established National Cooperative Export Limited (NCEL) under the MSCS Act, 2002, to promote exports of  cooperative  sector products  by  facilitating  procurement,  processing, branding, packaging, certification, and marketing in global markets. So far, 13,890 PACS/cooperative societies have become members of NCEL, including 1,036 members from Maharashtra.
4. Cooperative-led White Revolution 2.0: The  Ministry of Cooperation has launched Cooperative-led White  Revolution  2.0  to  expand  cooperative  coverage  in  the  dairy sector, generate employment, and empower women. The initiative aims to increase milk procurement of dairy cooperatives by 50% over the next five years.

Under  the  action  plan,  the  National  Dairy  Development  Board  (NDDB)  has  been entrusted to coordinate the establishment of 75,000 new Dairy Cooperative Societies (DCS) and the strengthening of 46,422 existing societies across the country up to 202829,  including  5,064  new  DCS  and  the  strengthening  of  4,187  existing  DCS  in Maharashtra.

Through these initiatives, the Government is strengthening cooperative participation across seed, organic farming, exports, and dairy value chains, thereby enhancing farmers' market access, improving value addition, and increasing farmers' income.

(f): Timeline for implementation of the policy throughout India, including Maharashtra, has been kept as ten years.

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