The Ministry of Cooperation has intensified its oversight of multi-state cooperative societies, with the Office of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) scheduling a fresh hearing for entities that have failed to comply with the directives issued by the Cooperative Ombudsman.
The initiative marks a renewed push to strengthen accountability and governance within the cooperative sector, especially for societies operating across multiple states.
According to the CRCS notification, the hearing will be conducted through video conference on 27 November 2025 at 4:00 PM. This follows an earlier session held on 16 October 2025, which several societies either skipped or did not respond to adequately. Taking serious note of these absences, the Central Registrar has now directed that the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of each society must compulsorily attend the upcoming hearing.
This condition aims to ensure that senior leadership takes direct responsibility for resolving compliance-related lapses rather than delegating them to lower-level staff.
The CRCS has clearly stated that societies failing to appear will be presumed to have no submissions to offer. In such cases, the Registrar will proceed with suitable administrative and legal action under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002, and the rules framed thereunder.
These actions may include inquiries, penalties, or other statutory measures deemed necessary to enforce compliance. Officials noted that such steps are critical for safeguarding the interests of cooperative members and ensuring that multi-state entities adhere to mandated governance practices.
A number of societies from different parts of the country have been listed for this hearing. They include Unique Swayam Multi State Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. from Ahmedabad, the Steel Authority of India Employees Cooperative Credit Society Ltd. from Kolkata, Swapnavedh Multi State Cooperative Credit Society Ltd. from Pune, Wishvaas Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. from Mohali, MES Employees Cooperative Credit Society Ltd. from Pune, Senapati Bapat Multi State Cooperative Credit Society Ltd. from Ahmednagar, Jivan Multi State Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd. from Ahmednagar, Deshbhakta Ratnapanna Kumbhar Panchaganga Sahakari Sakhar Karkhana Ltd. from Kolhapur, Shree Sarneshwar Credit Cooperative Society Ltd. from Sirohi, and Southern Green Farming and Marketing Multi State Cooperative Society Ltd. from Kozhikode.
These organisations represent diverse operational domains, including credit, agriculture, multipurpose activities, and services. Their inability to comply with Ombudsman orders has compelled the CRCS to intervene and reinforce the importance of adherence to statutory requirements.
The Ministry of Cooperation has repeatedly emphasised the need for robust governance mechanisms within the cooperative ecosystem, asserting that multi-state entities must maintain transparency, legal compliance, and member accountability.
By convening this fresh round of hearings, the CRCS aims to send a strong message that cooperative societies cannot disregard regulatory directives. The Ministry hopes that firm enforcement, coupled with continued monitoring, will help strengthen the cooperative framework and ensure that societies across India function responsibly, ethically, and in the best interests of their members.
