In a major move to digitally empower Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs), NABARD organized a National Conference on “Shared Services Entity and Cooperation among Cooperatives” at NBSC, Lucknow on Thursday. The move is aimed at offering digital solutions and is somewhat akin to Umbrella Organization for UCBs.
The event brought together Chairpersons and Managing Directors of State Cooperative Banks (StCBs), DCCBs, senior NABARD officials, and other representatives.
Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, graced the occasion and highlighted the vital role of shared services in modernizing rural credit delivery through digital means.
The central theme of the conference was the launch of the Shared Services Entity (SSE) — a long-awaited initiative designed to offer scalable, secure, and cost-effective digital solutions to rural cooperative banks.
Speaking to Indian Cooperative, NAFSCOB President K. Ravinder Rao said, “It is a proud moment for the cooperative banking sector. While the idea has been discussed since 2012 and formalized through a committee in 2016–17, it is only now being realized, thanks to the leadership of the Ministry of Cooperation under Amit Shah.”
The SSE will have an authorized capital of Rs 1,000 crore, jointly contributed by NABARD (33.33%), the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) (33.33%), and Rural Cooperative Banks (RCBs) (33.33%).
It will provide shared IT infrastructure including a centralized MIS server, cybersecurity solutions, regulatory compliance support, centralized payment systems, onboarding for Account Aggregators, cyber insurance, and more. Its primary objective is to serve 351 DCCBs and 34 StCBs with unified and efficient digital tools.
As part of the setup, participating StCBs are required to contribute equity based on their share in the average business volume of the rural cooperative structure. NABARD has assured that this contribution can be made in instalments, minimizing financial pressure. Detailed guidelines on shareholding, governance, and operations will be released soon.
A senior NABARD official remarked, “This is more than just an IT initiative—it is a digital cooperative movement. With institutions like NAFSCOB, COBI, and others supporting the vision, we are building a more connected and future-ready cooperative banking ecosystem.”
On the occasion of the celebration of the International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation; Siddharth Jain, Joint Secretary, MoC; and Shaji K.V., Chairman, NABARD, joined state officials in a tree plantation drive at NBSC, Lucknow. Rudraksha, litchi, and sapota saplings were planted to mark the occasion.
The event marked the first national-level consultation following RBI’s green signal for the SSE and is expected to pave the way for faster implementation and deeper collaboration across the cooperative banking sector. 
