The cooperative sector has witnessed a strong push toward financial inclusion with the launch of the National Campaign on Cooperation among Cooperatives. Key achievements of the campaign include the opening of 19.6 lakh new deposit accounts, a rise of Rs 6,284 crore in deposits with Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs), and the issuance of 1.95 lakh RuPay Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs).
As per the Nabard’s report, the initiative began as a pilot project in FY2024 with Banaskantha and Panchmahal District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) of Gujarat. The objective was to route all financial transactions of Primary Dairy Cooperative Societies (PDCS) and other cooperative bodies through the cooperative banking network.
With support from NABARD’s Financial Inclusion Fund (FIF), micro-ATMs were provided to PDCS for doorstep digital transactions. In addition, DCCBs issued RuPay KCCs to dairy farmers, linking them to cooperative banks. Awareness was also spread through financial literacy camps supported by FIF.
Following its success in Gujarat, the project was scaled up nationally and formally launched on 19 September 2024 in New Delhi by the Union Home and Cooperation Minister.
NABARD is now equipping StCBs and DCCBs across the country with micro-ATMs, financial literacy initiatives, and a digital dashboard to monitor campaign progress.