Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah has directed all Indian states to formulate and announce their state-level cooperative policies by January 31, 2026, urging them to align with the Centre’s broader vision for economic growth and job creation through the cooperative sector.
Chairing a high-level meeting titled “Manthan Baithak”, Shah interacted with the Cooperation Ministers from all states and union territories, pressing for immediate policy action to make the cooperative movement a robust engine of India’s economic progress.
“The cooperative sector must contribute meaningfully to both GDP and GSDP growth, and more importantly, to employment generation,” Shah said during the session.
Cooperative Sector as a Growth Driver
The meeting emphasized that cooperatives, especially in agriculture, dairy, rural finance, and marketing, can become powerful vehicles for inclusive growth. Shah reiterated that if properly structured and regulated, the cooperative model can ensure economic empowerment at the grassroots.
The government has already created a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation, introduced a National Cooperative Policy framework, and launched several digital initiatives such as Sahakar Se Samriddhi to modernize and formalize cooperatives across the country.
Uniform Policy Push Across States
Shah underlined the need for coherent, uniform, and state-specific cooperative policies in alignment with the national goals. He said that while each state can tailor policies to suit its unique needs, they must be announced before January 31, 2026, to avoid fragmentation and inefficiency.
He also stressed on:
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Professionalizing cooperative management
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Enhancing transparency and accountability
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Promoting youth and women participation
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Creating modern infrastructure and IT systems
Focus on Employment and Rural Development
Highlighting the employment potential of cooperatives, Shah said this sector can help tackle rural underemployment and support entrepreneurial activity in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities.
He also suggested that state cooperative banks, credit societies, and multi-purpose societies must be strengthened, digitized, and brought under a transparent monitoring system.
Building ‘Viksit Bharat’ Through Cooperatives
With India aiming to become a $5 trillion economy and move toward the goal of Viksit Bharat by 2047, Shah urged states to treat the cooperative sector as a national economic priority.
The “Manthan Baithak” concluded with states agreeing to take swift action, and the Centre promising all necessary support—financial, legal, and administrative—to enable this cooperative transformation.
