Replying to a query in the Rajya Sabha, the Union Cooperation Minister informed that a comprehensive National Cooperative Database (NCD) has been developed by the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, with the support of State/UT Governments.
The data of all the Cooperative Societies from various sectors has been entered in the database by nodal officers appointed by the States/ UTs for this purpose.
The NCD has been developed in a phased manner consisting of three phases.
In Phase-I, completed in February 2023, where about 2.64 lakh primary cooperative societies in agriculture, dairy, and fisheries were mapped, with help from district registrar offices and 500 local interns from AICTE.
Phase-II involved mapping National Cooperative Societies/Federations and their linkages with state and district levels, gathering data from various cooperative banks and federations.
In Phase-III, initiated in May 2023, the database was extended to over 5.3 lakh cooperative societies in other sectors, with data entries completed by almost all States/UTs through their respective RCSs offices.
As per NCD portal there are more than 8 lakh primary cooperative societies having more than 29 crore members. The database is now operational at URL: https://cooperatives.gov.in.
The National Cooperative Database (NCD) aims to create a comprehensive repository of information on cooperative societies across India.
It seeks to:
- Integrate data on cooperative societies across the nation.
- Provide a platform for effective monitoring and evaluation.
- Facilitate policy formulation and decision-making.
- Enhance transparency and accountability in the cooperative sector.
The NCD will be a valuable tool for improving the cooperative landscape in India by:
- Data-driven decision making: Provides accurate and up-to-date data for identifying trends, strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities in the cooperative sector.
- Effective monitoring and evaluation: Enables tracking of cooperative performance, identifying gaps, and implementing corrective measures.
- Policy formulation: Supports evidence-based policymaking to promote cooperative development and address challenges.
- Transparency and accountability: Increases transparency by making cooperative data publicly accessible, fostering trust and confidence among stakeholders.
- Research and analysis: Serves as a rich data source for researchers and analysts to study the cooperative sector.
- Facilitating access to finance: A robust NCD can help cooperatives access institutional credit by providing reliable financial information
