Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, chaired a high-level “Manthan Baithak” with Cooperation Ministers from all States and Union Territories in New Delhi on June 30, 2025. The meeting marked India’s preparations for celebrating the International Year of Cooperatives 2025 and laid out a roadmap for empowering the sector over the next two decades.
Addressing the gathering, Shri Shah emphasized the transformative power of cooperatives in delivering grassroots development. He stated that the Modi government’s goal is to ensure that every village in India has at least one cooperative society by 2030. “The only way to convert aspirations into economic empowerment for millions is through cooperation,” he said.
He highlighted the Modi government’s efforts since 2014 to uplift around 60–70 crore Indians who had lived without basic amenities for generations. Now that these citizens have access to housing, toilets, electricity, and clean water, Shri Shah said they are ready to move forward—but need capital. “Cooperation offers them a structured path to entrepreneurship,” he noted.
The Union Minister underscored the creation of the National Cooperative Database as a crucial tool for identifying gaps. The database maps areas lacking cooperative institutions, helping officials focus efforts where they’re needed most.
Key announcements from the meeting included the upcoming launch of a National Cooperative Policy (2025–2045). Each state has been asked to prepare its own cooperative roadmap by January 31, 2026, aligned with regional needs and the larger national framework. The Minister urged that all cooperative training in states be routed through Tribhuvan Sahkari University.
Participants also reviewed initiatives like the setting up of 2 lakh Multi-Purpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (M-PACS), promotion of dairy and fisheries cooperatives, and the rollout of the world’s largest grain storage scheme within the cooperative sector.
Emphasizing better governance, Shri Shah addressed the need for merit-based recruitment and transparency in cooperative banks. He praised reforms that brought cooperative banks under the Banking Regulation Act, stating that further improvements require ethical leadership and operational integrity.
Ministers were also encouraged to work with their agriculture counterparts to promote natural farming practices that protect both human health and environmental balance.
The event concluded with a focus on digital transformation and capacity building. States were urged to accelerate the computerization of PACS and Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) offices. Discussions also covered shared service entities, financial reforms, and the role of national multi-state cooperative bodies such as NCEL, NCOL, and BBSSL.
Shri Shah described Gujarat’s model of “Cooperation Amongst Cooperatives” as a template that could be replicated nationwide to amplify impact through collaboration and mutual growth.
The Manthan Baithak reaffirmed the Centre and States’ joint commitment to making cooperation a cornerstone of inclusive economic development, under the banner of “Sahkar Se Samriddhi.”
Source: Press Information Bureau
