**Executive Summary**
This document presents the Minister of Cooperation's response on February 3rd, 2026, to questions regarding the National Cooperation Policy, 2025. It details the government's actions to address legal and regulatory gaps in Cooperative Societies Acts across States/UTs and to promote inclusivity, especially for women, youth, SC/ST members, and weaker sections. Key actions include developing a standard API for database integration and implementing measures under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act & Rules, 2023.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **National Cooperative Database (NCD) Integration:**
* The Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) developed a standard API for States to fetch data from the NCD portal to their RCS portals.
* The Ministry shared API specifications and database schema with States on 27.05.2025 and a document on Push APIs on 22.09.2025.
* An advisory and checklist were issued to States/UTs on 14.11.2025.
* States/UTs need to develop reverse/pull API and complete RCS computerization.
* Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Mizoram have completed NCD portal integration as of 20.01.2026.
* **Promoting Inclusivity:**
* The Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) (Amendment) Act & Rules, 2023, notified on 03.08.2023 and 04.08.2023, strengthens governance, transparency, and accountability.
* Reservation of two seats for women and one seat for SC or ST has been made in the Board of multi-State cooperative societies.
* Provisions have been made to make Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) more inclusive.
* 32 States/UTs have adopted Model Bye-laws.
* **NCDC Initiatives:**
* NCDC operates dedicated schemes such as Nandini Sahakar, Swayam Shakti Sahakar, Ayushman Sahakar, and Yuva Sahakar, which provide concessional finance to specific groups.
* In 2024-25, ₹1,355.61 crore was disbursed to women cooperatives, benefitting over 41 lakh women members.
* As of 31.03.2025, NCDC disbursed ₹7,781.97 crore for cooperative societies exclusively promoted by women.
* Schemes for SC/ST cooperatives provide support for marketing, working capital, and infrastructure creation.
* In FY 2024-25, ₹0.18 crore was disbursed to SC cooperatives, and ₹29.63 crore was disbursed to ST cooperatives. Cumulative disbursements as of 31.03.2025 were ₹323.52 crore for SC cooperatives and ₹5308.02 crore for ST cooperatives.
**Impact Analysis**
**States/UTs**
* **Impact:** Requires compliance with API standards and completion of RCS computerization for NCD integration.
* **Action Required:** Develop reverse/pull API at their end and complete RCS computerization as per the checklist to ensure successful integration with the NCD portal.
**Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS)**
* **Impact:** Subject to strengthened governance, transparency, and accountability measures under the MSCS (Amendment) Act & Rules, 2023.
* **Action Required:** Comply with the provisions of the amended Act and Rules, including the reservation of seats for women and SC/ST members.
**Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS)**
* **Impact:** Required to be more inclusive and broad-based in their membership.
* **Action Required:** Align bye-laws with Model Bye-laws to ensure adequate representation of women and Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes.
**Women, Youth, SC/ST members, and Weaker Sections**
* **Impact:** Increased opportunities for participation in the cooperative sector through dedicated schemes and inclusive measures.
* **Action Required:** Utilize the support provided by NCDC schemes (Nandini Sahakar, Swayam Shakti Sahakar, Ayushman Sahakar, Yuva Sahakar) to develop and strengthen their cooperatives.
Key Entities Referenced
National Cooperation Policy, 2025: A policy aimed at guiding the development and regulation of the cooperative sector across States/UTs.
Ministry of Cooperation (MoC): The central ministry responsible for the development and regulation of cooperative societies in India.
National Cooperative Database (NCD): A centralized database intended to integrate data from cooperative societies across different states.
Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) (Amendment) Act & Rules, 2023: An amendment to the governing legislation for Multi-State Cooperative Societies intended to strengthen governance and inclusivity.
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC): An organization that promotes and finances cooperative development with schemes for women, youth and vulnerable sections.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF COOPERATION
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 624
ANSWERED ON 03rd FEBRUARY, 2026
National Cooperation Policy, 2025
624. Shri Jashubhai Bhilubhai Rathva:
Will the Minister of Cooperation (सहका(cid:303)रता मं(cid:361)ी) be pleased to state:
(a) whether the Government has identified specific legal and regulatory gaps across
States/UTs that necessitate amendments to their respective Cooperative Societies Acts
for achieving the objectives outlined under the National Cooperation Policy, 2025;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether any timeline has been set for achieving real-time integration of State-level
cooperative databases with the National Cooperative Database (NCD), if so, the details
thereof; and
(d) the steps being taken to promote inclusivity in the cooperative sector, particularly
regarding the participation of women, youth, SC/ST members and weaker sections?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF COOPERATION
सहका(cid:303)रता मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI AMIT SHAH)
(a) No Sir
(b) Nil, in view of the (a) above.
(c) The Ministry of Cooperation (MoC) developed a standard API (Application Programming
Interface) for States to fetch the entire data of cooperative societies of the State from the
NCD portal to their respective RCS portals, and shared the Standard API Specification
Document and database schema with States on 27.05.2025. Subsequently, the Ministry
shared a document on Push APIs (End Point APIs) for live, event-driven data pushing from
RCS portals to the NCD Portal, enabling real-time updates and new registration data, on
22.09.2025. To further clarify the process, an advisory along with a comprehensive
checklist was issued to all States / UTs on 14.11.2025. As per the integration plan,States/UTs need to ensure the development of reverse/pull API at their end and complete
RCS computerization in accordance with the checklist for successful integration with the
NCD portal. As of 20.01.2026, the States of Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Bihar, and Mizoram
have completed integration with the NCD portal.
(d) The Following steps have been taken to ensure greater participation of women, youth,
Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes and vulnerable sections in the Cooperative sector-
1. The Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) (Amendment) Act & Rules, 2023
have been notified on 03.08.2023 and 04.08.2023, respectively to strengthen
governance, enhance transparency, increase accountability and reform electoral
process, etc.in the Multi State Cooperative Societies by supplementing existing
legislation and incorporating the provisions of Ninety-seventh Constitutional
Amendment.
To increase the representation of Women and Scheduled Castes/Tribes in the boards
of Multi-State Co-operative societies, provision for reservation of two seats for
women and one seat for SC or ST in the Board of multi-State cooperative societies
have been made.
2. Provisions have also been made to make the membership of Primary Agricultural
Credit Societies (PACS) more inclusive and broad-based, giving adequate
representation to women and Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes. So far, 32 States/
UTs have adopted Model Bye-laws or their existing bye-laws are in line with Model
Bye-laws.
3. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) is taking multiple steps to
enhance the participation of women, youth, Scheduled Castes/Tribes and other
vulnerable sections in the cooperative sector, which are detailed as under:
I. NCDC operates dedicated schemes such as Nandini Sahakar, Swayam Shakti
Sahakar, Ayushman Sahakar and Yuva Sahakar, which provide concessional
finance, interest subvention and start-up support to women-led, youth-led, SC/ST
and innovative cooperatives. The details are as under
:
i. During 2024-25, assistance of ₹1,355.61 crore was disbursed to women
cooperatives benefiting over 41 lakh women members. Cumulatively as on
31.03.2025, NCDC has disbursed financial assistance of ₹7,781.97 crore for the
development of cooperative societies exclusively promoted by women.ii. Schemes for SC/ST cooperatives provide support for marketing, working
capital and infrastructure creation, during FY 2024-25, an amount of ₹0.18 crore
was disbursed to SC cooperatives and ₹29.63 crore to ST cooperatives. As on
31.03.2025, cumulative disbursements of ₹323.52 crore for SC cooperatives
and ₹5308.02 crore for ST cooperatives.
Further, NCDC supports weaker section cooperatives in fisheries, livestock, handloom,
sericulture and labour sectors, benefiting lakhs of members which includes SC, ST,
Women members. NCDC has introduced sector-specific schemes and focused products
to align with the evolving needs of the cooperative sector, with special emphasis on
women empowerment, digitization of cooperatives, and rural healthcare.
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