As India prepares to enter 2026, following the United Nations’ declaration of 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC), the country is witnessing a transformative phase in its cooperative sector under the vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’, according to an official video released by the Union Ministry of Cooperation on Wednesday.
Guided by the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, a series of policy, institutional and technology-led reforms have reshaped cooperatives as engines of inclusive and sustainable growth.
India today has over 8.5 lakh cooperative institutions with more than 30 crore members, making it the largest cooperative ecosystem in the world, the Ministry said. These institutions continue to play a crucial role in strengthening rural livelihoods, expanding financial inclusion, promoting women and youth participation, and supporting grassroots economic development across the country.
Highlighting steps taken to improve transparency and data-driven governance, the Ministry said the National Cooperative Database (NCD) Portal has been developed as a one-stop digital platform hosting information on over 8.4 lakh cooperatives, significantly strengthening planning, monitoring and policy formulation.
The Ministry noted that the introduction of Model Bye-laws has empowered Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) to undertake more than 25 economic activities, including credit services, storage and warehousing, fuel distribution and other essential rural services, transforming PACS into multi-purpose institutions at the village level.
According to the video, the PACS digitalisation programme has gained momentum, with over 60,000 PACS computerised on a common National ERP platform, leading to improved efficiency, faster loan delivery, greater transparency and enhanced farmers’ trust.
Providing long-term direction to the sector, the Ministry highlighted the National Cooperative Policy 2025, which serves as a roadmap for holistic cooperative development through governance reforms, technology adoption, financial sustainability and capacity building.
The Ministry also underlined measures to strengthen cooperative banks, including enhanced deposit insurance coverage and improved risk management systems, aimed at ensuring secure and resilient rural financial institutions.
Under White Revolution 2.0, the dairy cooperative movement is being strengthened with a target of achieving 50 per cent growth in milk production over five years, generating employment, increasing farmers’ incomes and deepening women’s participation in the sector.
Another key initiative highlighted is the establishment of Tribhuvan Sahkari University, India’s first National Cooperative University, aimed at professionalising the cooperative workforce and building skilled leadership for the future.
Together, these initiatives, as outlined by the Union Ministry of Cooperation, reflect India’s continued Journey of Cooperation beyond IYC 2025, positioning cooperatives as a cornerstone of inclusive development even as the country steps into 2026.
