The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has disbursed financial assistance of about Rs 57.71 crore to 261 loans sanctioned for SC/ST cooperative societies across the country during the last five financial years, the Ministry of Cooperation informed Parliament on Tuesday.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister for Cooperation Amit Shah said NCDC, a statutory organization under the Ministry of Cooperation, continues to promote and strengthen the cooperative movement by financing infrastructure, marketing, processing, storage, cold chain, cooperative banking, agricultural services, weaker section cooperatives and other notified activities.
The Minister said NCDC provides financial assistance in the form of term loans, investment loans and subsidies under its own schemes as well as various Government of India programmes. In recent years, the Corporation has also launched sector-specific initiatives focusing on new cooperatives, women empowerment, rural healthcare and innovation.
NCDC’s key initiatives include YUVA SAHAKAR for innovative cooperatives, NANDINI SAHAKAR for women-led cooperatives, SWAYAM SHAKTI SAHAKAR YOJNA for women SHGs, DEERGHAVADHI KRISHAK PUNJI SAHAKAR YOJNA for long-term lending, NCDC Cash Credit Loan for working capital, and the Sahakar Innovation Scheme, offering grants of up to ?25 lakh for innovation and technology adoption.
According to the data tabled in Parliament, 2024-25 recorded the highest financial assistance to SC/ST cooperative societies, with Rs 29.81 crore released through 12 loans. During 2025-26, NCDC released Rs 0.92 crore through six loans.
State-wise figures show that Jharkhand received the highest assistance during the five-year period with Rs 29.49 crore, largely driven by a Rs 28.09 crore loan in 2024-25. Other beneficiaries included Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Mizoram, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Tripura, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan, Nagaland and Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
For Gujarat, the Ministry informed that NCDC disbursed Rs 1.76 crore to SC/ST cooperative societies during the period covered in the reply. Of this, Rs 1.22 crore was released in 2022-23 to the Surat-Tapi District Cooperative Milk Producers’ Union Ltd. for two units in Tapi district. In 2026-27, Rs 0.54 crore was released to Shree Bhimrao Matsaudyog Seva Sahakari Mandali Ltd. in Gir Somnath district.
The Minister said NCDC also channels financial assistance under several Central Government schemes, including the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, PM Matsya Sampada Yojana, PMFME, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana, and other programmes to strengthen the cooperative sector.
