Cooperation Ministry: Driving a New Era of People-Centric Growth
ANINDYA KUMAR BHATTACHARYA
November 13, 2025
The Ministry of Cooperation has rapidly emerged as one of the most vibrant and reform-oriented ministries of the Government of India under the dynamic leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the overall guidance of the Union Home & Cooperation Minister. Since its creation in 2021, the Ministry has been working with a renewed vision to strengthen the cooperative movement across the country and ensure that the spirit of “Sahakar se Samriddhi” — prosperity through cooperation — becomes a practical reality for millions.
Transformative Agenda
The Ministry’s initiatives aim to revitalise India’s long-standing cooperative sector through modernization, digital transformation, and institutional reforms. From agriculture and dairy to fisheries, housing, and rural industries, cooperatives play a crucial role in improving livelihoods, enhancing local economies, and empowering small producers. Recognising this potential, the Government has streamlined policies, simplified laws, and introduced structural reforms to strengthen cooperative institutions at every level.
The enactment of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023 has been a landmark step in ensuring better governance, transparency, and accountability. The amendments introduce provisions for the election of board members, auditing standards, dispute resolution mechanisms, and greater participation of women and youth. These reforms ensure that cooperatives operate in a more democratic and transparent manner.
Strengthening Grassroots Institutions
One of the Ministry’s major priorities has been the revitalisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), which are the foundational blocks of India’s rural credit system. A comprehensive plan is underway to computerize more than 65,000 PACS across the country, linking them digitally with district and state cooperative banks. This will bring efficiency, transparency, and financial inclusion to millions of rural households.
Additionally, the Government has encouraged PACS to diversify their activities beyond traditional credit services. New initiatives are being rolled out to enable PACS to function as multi-service centres providing inputs like seeds, fertilizers, farm machinery, and even engage in dairy, fishery, and warehousing operations. This diversification will help strengthen rural entrepreneurship and improve farmers’ incomes.
Expanding Cooperative Education and Capacity Building
To strengthen the cooperative ecosystem, the development of dedicated cooperative universities has become an important national priority. A cooperative university is an educational institution founded on the principles of cooperation, focusing on academic programs, research, and training in areas such as cooperative management, finance, governance, and law. Recently, India established its first national cooperative university Tribhuvan Sahkari University aimed at creating a skilled workforce and leadership pipeline for the cooperative movement. Similar global models, such as The Co-operative University of Kenya, demonstrate how specialized cooperative education can support business innovation, professional management, and sectoral sustainability. Integrating such knowledge-based institutions into the broader cooperative reform agenda will significantly enhance capacity building, empower youth, and ensure that cooperatives operate with professionalism and modern governance standards.
Digital and Structural Reforms
The Ministry has launched several digital initiatives to make the cooperative sector more efficient and transparent. The National Cooperative Database project aims to map and integrate information from all cooperative institutions in the country. A new online registration system for multi-state cooperatives has also been introduced to make processes faster and more citizen-friendly.
Further, the Government has taken steps to promote cooperative exports through the creation of a National Cooperative Export Society (NCEL), which will enable small and medium cooperatives to access global markets and improve their competitiveness. The formation of the National Cooperative Organic Society and the National Cooperative Seed Society reflect the Ministry’s commitment to promoting sustainable and self-reliant agriculture.
Simplified Rules, Enhanced Transparency
Under the Ministry’s reform agenda, several outdated rules and administrative procedures have been simplified. Emphasis has been laid on ensuring time-bound service delivery, promoting good governance, and introducing best practices in cooperative management. Regular training, awareness, and capacity-building programs are being conducted to ensure that cooperative members, especially in rural areas, are fully equipped to manage their institutions effectively.
A Vision for the Future
The Ministry of Cooperation represents a significant shift in India’s approach to inclusive development. By fostering collective ownership and local empowerment, it is not only transforming rural economies but also reinforcing social harmony and self-reliance. The alignment of cooperative reforms with the national vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) highlights how traditional Indian values of cooperation and mutual support are being blended with modern systems of governance and technology.
As the Ministry continues to implement its wide array of initiatives, it stands as a vibrant example of how the cooperative movement — once seen as a legacy of the past — is now becoming a key driver of India’s future growth story.
(Tripurainfo)
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