On March 6, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a high-level meeting at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg to assess the progress of India’s cooperative sector. The discussions focused on fostering global collaborations, integrating advanced technologies, and enhancing youth and women participation in cooperatives.

Key Highlights from the Meeting:

• Global Collaborations: The Prime Minister emphasized forming partnerships with international cooperative organizations to broaden the reach and capabilities of India’s cooperative sector.
• Promotion of Organic Products: He advocated for cooperative organizations to focus on organic products, especially targeting export markets, to boost India’s presence in global organic produce.
• Technological Advancements: The integration of digital public infrastructure, such as Agristack, was recommended to enhance agricultural activities within cooperatives, providing farmers with improved access to services.
• Financial Integration: Highlighting the importance of seamless financial transactions, the Prime Minister suggested integrating the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) with RuPay Kisan Credit Card (KCC) cards.
• Educational Initiatives: He proposed introducing cooperative-centric courses in educational institutions, including schools, colleges, and Indian Institutes of Management (IIMs), to inspire future generations and promote cooperative farming as a sustainable agricultural model.
• National Cooperation Policy 2025: The draft of this policy was discussed, aiming to facilitate systematic development of the cooperative sector with a focus on accelerating rural economic development and prioritizing women and youth participation.

The meeting also reviewed the Ministry of Cooperation’s achievements over the past three and a half years, including the digitization of cooperative institutions and the strengthening of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). The government has integrated over 15 schemes from more than 10 ministries at the PACS level, leading to diversification in cooperative businesses and improved accessibility of government schemes in rural areas.

Additionally, a bill to convert the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA) into “Tribhuvan Cooperative University,” granting it the status of an Institution of National Importance, has been introduced in Parliament to promote cooperative education, training, and research.

This meeting underscores the government’s commitment to strengthening the cooperative sector as a pivotal component of India’s economic development.