Lok Sabha Question No. 4104 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-17
Subject: Women led Cooperatives
Ministry: COOPERATION
Asked by: Smt. Pratima Mondal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF COOPERATION

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4104 TO BE ANSWERED ON 17 th  MARCH 2026

## Women led Cooperatives

## 4104. Smt. Pratima Mondal:

Will the Minister of COOPERATION ( सहकारिता मंत्री ) be pleased to state: the targeted measures to strengthen women-led and self-help group-linked cooperatives, particularly in economically weaker districts?

## ANSWER

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

The Government recognizes cooperative societies as an important instrument for inclusive and  participatory  economic  development  especially  in  economically  weaker  areas.  With  the establishment  of  a  separate  Ministry  of  Cooperation,  Government  aims  to  strengthen  the cooperative  movement  with  a  special  focus  on  farmers,  women  and  rural  development.  Key initiatives  to  promote women-led cooperatives and cooperatives linked with Self Help Groups (SHGs) include the following:

## i) Promotion of Women-led Cooperatives:

The  Government  is  encouraging  the  formation  and  strengthening  of  women-led  cooperative societies  across  sectors  such  as  dairy,  agriculture,  handicrafts  and  rural  enterprises.  Capacity building,  training  and  financial  assistance  is  being  facilitated  through  various  institutions  and schemes in convergence with other Ministries.

## ii) Promotion of Dairy Cooperatives - White Revolution 2.0:

To strengthen the dairy sector and promote women's participation, the Government is  actively encouraging the formation of  75,000  new dairy  cooperative  societies  besides  strengthening  of 46,422 existing dairy cooperative societies. Dairy cooperatives play a significant role in women's economic empowerment, employment generation and rural livelihood enhancement.

## iii) Women  focused  Schemes  of  National  Cooperative  Development  Corporation (NCDC):

National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) a statutory organization working under administrative  control  of  Ministry  of  Cooperation  while  aligning  itself  with  mandate  of cooperative led economic development implements various schemes to support women-led and SHG-linked cooperatives viz:

- a) Swayam Shakti Sahakar Yojana: This scheme aims to promote and strengthen women cooperatives by providing financial assistance for income-generating activities, entrepreneurship development and capacity building of women SHG. The Cooperatives in turn can make onward lending of term loan or working capital loan to women SHG.
- b) Nandini  Sahakar  Scheme: The  scheme  provides  financial  support  exclusively  for women-led  cooperative  societies  engaged  in  activities  such  as  dairy,  livestock,  food processing and other allied sectors, thereby enhancing women's  participation in cooperative enterprises.
- c) Yuva Sahakar Yojana: This scheme encourages young women entrepreneurs to establish and  manage  cooperative  enterprises  in  emerging  and  innovative  sectors  by  providing financial assistance and support through NCDC. Under the Scheme, NCDC provides 2% interest subvention on the rate of interest on term loan besides easy financing with women led cooperative society required to contribute just 20% of the project cost.

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