11-Jan-2023: Cabinet approves Setting up of a national level multi-state cooperative seed society under Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved a historic decision to set up and promote a national level multi-state seed cooperative society under Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 which will act as an apex organization for production, procurement, processing, branding, labelling, packaging, storage, marketing and distribution of quality seeds; strategic research & development; and to develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds; through various cooperative societies across the country with support from relevant ministries especially Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and national Seed Corporation (NSC) through their schemes and agencies following the ‘Whole of the Government Approach’.

Hon’ble Prime Minister has observed that all efforts should be made to leverage the strengths of cooperatives and transform them into successful and vibrant business enterprises to realize the vision of “Sahakar-se-Samriddhi’ as cooperatives hold the key to rural economic transformation in the country in agriculture and allied sectors.

PACS to APEX: Primary to national level cooperatives societies including primary societies, district, state and national level federations and multi state cooperative societies can become its member.  All these cooperatives will have their elected representatives in the Board of the society as per its bye-laws.

The national level multi state seed cooperative society would act as an apex organization for production, procurement, processing, branding, labelling, packaging, storage, marketing and distribution of quality seeds; strategic research & development; and to develop a system for preservation and promotion of indigenous natural seeds; through various cooperative societies across the country with support from relevant ministries especially Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Indian Council for Agricultural Research (ICAR) and National Seed Corporation (NSC) through their schemes and agencies.

The proposed society will help to increase the seed replacement rate, varietal replacement rate, ensuring the role of farmers in quality seed cultivation and seed variety trials, production and distribution of certified seeds with a single brand name, by utilizing the network of all levels of cooperatives.  The availability of quality seeds will help in increasing agricultural productivity in strengthening food security and also increasing the income of the farmers. The members will benefit both by realization of better prices by production of quality seeds, higher production of crops by use of High Yielding Variety (HYV)seeds and also by dividend distributed out of the surplus generated by the society.

The seed cooperative society will involve all forms of cooperative structures and all other means to increase the SRR, VRR by ensuring the role of farmers in quality seed cultivation and seed variety trials, production and distribution of certified seeds with a single brand name.

Quality seeds production through this national level seed cooperative society will increase the agriculture production in the country thereby leading to more employment in the agriculture and cooperative sector; reducing the dependence on imported seeds and provide boost to rural economy, promoting “Make in India” and leading to Atmanirbhar Bharat.

11-Jan-2023: Cabinet approves setting up of a national level multi-state cooperative organic society under Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved a historic decision of setting up and promoting a national level cooperative society for organic products under the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 with support from relevant Ministries especially the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (M/Doner) through their policies, schemes & agencies following the ‘Whole of the Government Approach’.

The Prime Minister has observed that all efforts should be made to leverage the strengths of cooperatives and transform them into successful and vibrant business enterprises to realize the vision of “ Sahakar-se-Samriddhi”.  It is thus imperative for the cooperatives to think globally and act locally to leverage their comparative advantage.

Therefore, there is a felt need for a national level cooperative society to be registered under Second Schedule of MSCS Act, 2002 for providing thrust to organic products from cooperative sector by acting as an umbrella organisation for managing various activities related to the organic sector.

PACS to APEX: Primary to national level cooperatives societies including primary societies, district, state and national level federations, multi state cooperative societies and Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) can become its Member.  All these cooperatives will have their elected representatives in the Board of the society as per its bye-laws.

The cooperative society will manage various activities related to organic sector by providing certified and authentic organic products.  It will help in unlocking demand and consumption potential of organic products in domestic as well as in global markets.  This society will also help cooperatives and ultimately their farmer members in getting benefits of high price of organic products through aggregation, branding and marketing on large scale by facilitating testing and certification at affordable cost.

The cooperative society will also provide institutional support for aggregation, certification, testing, procurement, storage, processing, branding, labelling, packaging, logistic facilities, marketing of organic products and arranging financial assistance to the organic farmers through its members cooperatives including Primary Agricultural Credit Societies/Farmers Producer Organisations (FPOs) and will take up all promotion and development related activities of organic products with the help of various schemes and agencies of the Government.  It will empanel accredited organic testing labs and certification bodies who mee the criteria specified by the society to bring down the cost of testing and certification.

The society will manage entire supply chain of organic products produced by cooperatives and related entities through member cooperatives It will utilize the services of national cooperative export society being set up under MSCS Act, 2002 for export marketing and thereby enhance reach and demand of organic products in global market.  It will also facilitate in providing technical guidance, training and capacity building of organic producer and developing and maintaining dedicated market intelligence system for organic produce.  While promoting organic farming, balanced approach will be maintained between regular mass farming and organic farming.

11-Jan-2023: Cabinet approves setting up of a national level Multi-state cooperative export society under Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002

The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has approved setting up and promoting a National Level multistate cooperative export society under the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002 with support from relevant Ministries especially Ministry of External Affairs and Department of Commerce, Ministry of Commerce and Industry through their export related policies, schemes & agencies by following the ‘Whole of Government Approach’ for undertaking exports of all goods and services produced by cooperatives and related entities..

The proposed society will provide thrust to exports from cooperative sector by acting as an umbrella organisation for carrying out and promoting exports. This will help unlocking export potential of Indian cooperatives in global markets. This proposed society will also help cooperatives in getting benefits of various export related schemes and policies of different ministries of Government of India in a focussed manner through ‘Whole of Government Approach’. This will also help in achieving the goal of “Sahakar-se-Samriddhi” though the inclusive growth model of cooperatives where the members would benefit both by realization of better prices through export of their goods and services and also by dividend distributed out of the surplus generated by the society.

Higher exports through the proposed society will increase production of goods and services by the cooperatives at various levels thus leading to more employment in the cooperative sector. Processing of goods and enhancing the services to match international standards will also generate additional employment. Increased export of cooperative products would, in turn, also promote “Make in India” thus leading to Atmanirbhar Bharat.

9-Feb-2022: Revival of Cooperatives

The Country already has a rich cooperative heritage and a robust cooperative sector. There are two types of co-operative structures in the country i.e. State Cooperative Societies and Multi- State Cooperative Societies. The Cooperative Societies functioning in one state only are governed by the laws of the respective State Government and the cooperative societies functioning in more than one state are governed by the Central law, namely, ‘the Multi-State Co- operative Societies Act, 2002 (Act 39 of 2002)’. Any issues related to their administration are dealt at respective levels. However, to give new dimensions and to further strengthen the cooperative sector in the country through policy and other interventions, Government has created the new Ministry of Cooperation to provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in country.

As per the statistical profile of National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI) 2018, there are 8.54 lakh cooperative units in the country. Some of the issues affecting accelerated and equitable growth of cooperatives, inter alia, are lack of effective governance, leadership and professional management in cooperative units, low level of technology adoption.

New National Cooperative Policy and schemes are being drafted with the aim to deepen co- operatives as a true people-based movement reaching up to the grassroots and develop a cooperative based economy model including giving focus on ‘Make in India’. This will address all developmental issues of cooperatives. Inputs / suggestions of the stakeholders including Central Government Ministries have been sought.

To make cooperatives more transparent and efficient, the Ministry has started stakeholder consultations on relevant interventions viz. creation of a National database of Cooperatives, digitalisation of about 63000 active Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS).

6-Jul-2021: Modi Government creates a new Ministry of Co-operation

In a historic move, a separate ‘Ministry of Co-operation’ has been created by the Modi Government for realizing the vision of ‘Sahakar se Samriddhi’.

This ministry will provide a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country.

It will help deepen Co-operatives as a true people based movement reaching upto the grassroots.

In our country, a Co-operative based economic development model is very relevant where each member works with a spirit of responsibility.

The Ministry will work to streamline processes for ‘Ease of doing business’ for co-operatives and enable development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS).

The Central Government has signaled its deep commitment to community based developmental partnership. Creation of a separate Ministry for Co-operation also fulfils the budget announcement made by the Finance Minister.

9-Jan-2023: 1st capacity building programme for the civil servants of Arunachal Pradesh on good governance started today at NCGG, Mussoorie campus

Two weeks capacity building programme for the civil servants of Bangladesh, Maldives and Arunachal Pradesh commenced today at Mussoorie campus of the National Centre for Good Governance (NCGG). This included 39 officers from Bangladesh (56th batch); 26 participants from Maldives (20th batch) and 22 participants from Arunachal Pradesh in the 1st capacity building programme for the state. This programme will help these civil servants in upgrading their knowledge and skills to accelerate the implementation of various policies and programme to improve the quality of life of citizens. The programme has been scientifically developed in a participatory manner to equip them to deliver seamless public services to the people.

In furtherance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s philosophy of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and ‘neighbourhood first policy’, capacity building programmes for the civil servants of Bangladesh and Maldives has been started by the NCGG with the support of Ministry of External Affairs, Govt of India. To further improve the governance and public service delivery in North-East and border states, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions directed to hold special programmes for the civil servants of Arunachal Pradesh. NCGG is already conducting such programmes for the civil servants of Jammu & Kashmir, with great success.    

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