Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah informed the House that the work of building databases for cooperatives are going in right earnest with the job almost nearing the completion. Shah talked of three phases of collection and how the Ministry is going about the job so that no co-op entity is left out.
Replying to a query raised by a Lok Sabha MP, Union Home and Cooperation Minister said, as on 24.11.2023, the total number of cooperative societies as mentioned in National Cooperative Database are 7,91,547 with 29,07,60,537 members.
“The highest number of cooperative societies is in Maharashtra i.e. 2,22,158 with 5.80 crore members. Whereas, Gujarat with 80,992 cooperative societies with roughly 1.68 crore and Telangana with 60,122 with 1.42 crore stands at second and third position respectively. The lowest number of cooperatives is in Lakshadweep with 35 societies 84,393 members are associated”, he added.
Shah further added, “A comprehensive National Cooperative Database is being developed under the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, in three phases. Keeping in view the diverse nature and size of the cooperative sector, it was decided to create the database by collection of data in a three phased manner”.
Under Phase-I- the mapping of about 2.64 lakh primary cooperative societies of three sectors i.e., Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), Dairy and Fisheries was completed in February, 2023.
Under Phase-II, Mapping of National Cooperative Societies/Federations along with their General Body Members was completed. Further, their downward linkages with State Federations, District Unions and Primary Cooperative were also established.
The Minister stated that the data related to State Cooperative Banks (StCBs), DCCBs, UCBs, SCARDBs, PCARDBs, Sugar Cooperative Mills, State Federations, District Unions and MSCS were collected directly from cooperative societies or through their National/State Federations.
Under Phase-III, the Ministry of Cooperation initiated the process of extending the National Cooperative Database to the remaining over 5 lakh cooperative societies working in all other sectors in May, 2023, through the Office of RCSs of State/UTs. Almost all States/UTs, except Kerala & Manipur, completed (97%) data entries under the National Cooperative Database.
Shah further added, the government administers multi state cooperative societies through the Multistate Cooperative Society Act 2002. Under Section 77, 78, 108, 122, 123 of the Act the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies monitors functioning of multi state cooperative societies through inspection, inquiry, directions etc.
“The functioning of State Cooperative Societies is monitored as per the State Cooperative Acts. Further, some of the cooperative societies which are functioning as banks are also regulated and monitored by the Reserve Bank of India”, Shah replied.
