**Policy Summary: Promoting Women's Leadership in Cooperatives**
The Ministry of Cooperation is actively promoting the betterment, empowerment, and income generation for women within the cooperative sector through several key initiatives. A significant amendment to the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act of 2002 mandates the inclusion of women directors on the boards of MSCS. This ensures female representation in over 1,550 MSCS nationwide. Similarly, the Ministry's Model Bye-Laws for Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS), adopted by States and Union Territories, require women directors on PACS boards, impacting over 100,000 PACS.
The Cooperative Election Authority (CEA), established in November 2023 under the MSCS Amendment Act, 2023, ensures that each MSCS election earmarks seats for two women and one member from Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes, as per Section 41(3). Since the CEA's inception, 293 women directors have been elected across 146 MSCS board elections, including those for casual vacancies.
The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), under the Ministry of Cooperation, implements the Swayam Shakti Sahakar Yojna and Nandini Sahakar Schemes, providing full funding and support. The NCDC, through its regional and sub-offices, actively monitors scheme implementation and ensures timely credit flow to women's cooperatives.
Financial assistance disbursed to women's cooperatives over the past three years is as follows:
* **2022-23:** Sanctioned: ₹1620.55 Crore, Released: ₹1437.24 Crore
* **2023-24:** Sanctioned: ₹1000.69 Crore, Released: ₹711.55 Crore
* **2024-25:** Sanctioned: ₹2230.87 Crore, Released: ₹1355.61 Crore
This information was provided by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Cooperation: The Indian government ministry responsible for cooperatives.
MultiState Cooperative Societies: Cooperative societies operating in more than one state in India.
MultiState Cooperative Societies Act, 2002: The act governing MultiState Cooperative Societies in India.
MSCS Amendment Act, 2023: Amendment to the MultiState Cooperative Societies Act, 2002.
Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies PACS: Agricultural credit societies at the primary level in India.
Model Bye Laws for the PACS: Model bylaws prepared by the Ministry of Cooperation for PACS adoption by States/UTs.
Cooperative Election Authority CEA: Authority responsible for conducting elections for MultiState Cooperative Societies.
National Cooperative Development Corporation NCDC: A statutory organization under the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India.
Ministry of Cooperation
Leadership of women in cooperatives
Posted On: 30 JUL 2025 5:11PM by PIB Delhi
The Ministry of Cooperation has made various efforts for the betterment, empowerment and income
generation for women in the cooperative sector. The major initiative taken by the Ministry in this regard are
as under:
Reservation for Women on the Board of Multi State Cooperative Societies
The Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act, 2002 has been amended to mandate requirement of women
Directors in the Board of Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS). This will ensure representation of
women in the Board of more than 1,550 Multi-State Cooperative across the country.
Reservation to Women Members in Primary Agriculture Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS)
through adoption of Model Bye-laws
Model Bye Laws for the PACS have been prepared by the Ministry of Cooperation and adopted by the
States/ UTs across the country. It mandates requirement of women Directors in the Board of PACS. This
will ensure representation of women and their decision making in more than 1 Lakh PACS.
MSCS are regulated by the Central Government through the MSCS Act, 2002, amended by MSCS
(Amendment) Act, 2023. Section 41 (3) of the amended MSCS Act envisage that the board shall consist
such number of directors not exceeding twenty-one, as may be specified by the Bye- Laws, out of which
one member shall be Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe and two shall be women in the board of MSCS
consisting of individual and having members from such class or category of person.
Cooperative Election Authority (CEA) has been constituted in November, 2023 under MSCS
(Amendment) Act, 2023, and has been responsible for conduct of elections for MSCS, since then. While
issuing election programme, CEA ensures that in each election of MSCS seats are earmarked for two (2)
women and one (1) SC/ST as per Section 41 (3). Since setting up of the CEA, 293 women directors have
been elected in 146 elections of MSCS for Board of Director (including Casual Vacancy)
PACS are cooperative societies registered by the States under their respective cooperative acts. No such
data about woman in board member of state registered cooperative societies is currently maintained by the
Ministry.
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), a statutory organization under the Ministry of
Cooperation, Government of India, is implementing “Swayam Shakti Sahakar Yojna and Nandini Sahakar
Schemes are fully funded and supported by NCDC.
NCDC through its 19 Regional Offices and 9 sub offices actively monitors the implementation of schemes
and ensures access to timely credit flow to women cooperatives. Field visits/inspections are done
periodically for proper monitoring of loan disbursement under the Schemes.
The details of financial assistance disbursed to women cooperatives during the last three years are as under:
(Rs. in Crore)
Year Sanction Release2022-23 1620.55 1437.24
2023-24 1000.69 711.55
2024-25 2230.87 1355.61
This was stated by the Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah in a written reply to a question in the Rajya
Sabha.
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VV/RR/PR/PS/HS
(Release ID: 2150237)