Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the Lok Sabha on Monday that Maharashtra is set to witness a significant expansion of its cooperative network under the Centre’s ambitious plan to establish 2 lakh new multipurpose PACS, dairy and fishery cooperative societies across the country.
As per the written reply, Maharashtra has achieved 1,450 registrations against a target of 1,555 societies since February 2023, reaching 93% of its target, placing it among the better-performing states. Nationally, 32,802 new cooperative societies have been registered so far, accounting for 47% of the overall target.
The Minister highlighted that in Maharashtra, 9,527 cooperative societies are planned to be formed or strengthened over five years, including focused expansion in districts like Yavatmal, Washim and Parbhani. In Yavatmal-Washim, 75 new M-PACS are proposed, while Parbhani has already registered two fishery cooperatives and plans 20 M-PACS.
For 2025–26, around 705 new cooperative societies are expected across Maharashtra, with districts such as Kolhapur, Satara and Chandrapur leading the expansion drive, strengthening grassroots rural economies.
