Page 30 - NIS English 01-15 December, 2025

COVER STORY International Year of Cooperatives

National Cooperative

According to the International Development Corporation
Cooperative Federation: a cooperative

is “an autonomous association of Footprint Expands
people who voluntarily come together

to pursue their economic, social, and To expand its geographical reach, the
cultural interests through common National Cooperative Development
Corporation (NCDC) opened a regional
ownership and democratic control.” office in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh,
and sub-offices in Jammu and Kashmir,
Ladakh, Sikkim, Manipur, Mizoram,
Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and
cultivation than growing crops, which earlier Nagaland. NCDC’s loan disbursements have
small farmers were not able to do, but now it increased from ₹24,733 crore in the 2020-21
has become possible. fiscal year to ₹95,183 crore in 2024-25. This
amount was only
COOPERATIVES: A PATH TO ENTRE- ₹5,735.51 crore in
PRENEURSHIP FOR THE CAPITALLESS 2014-15.
The cooperative sector is the only way to
connect capitalless individuals with entrepre-
neurship. According to economists, GDP is a
key indicator of a country’s economy, but with
a population of 1.4 billion, GDP, along with em-
ployment, is also a significant driver. To date,
35,395 new cooperatives have been formed,
which is right on track to achieve the target of
establishing 200,000 multipurpose cooperative
societies in the country over the next five years.
The cooperative sector is opening up a path to
prosperity for the landless and capitalless. India
has become the world’s largest milk producer.
Milk production, which was 140 million tons in
2014-15, has now surpassed 240 million tons.
A circular economy is getting a boost. Cooper- to increase milk procurement by 50% over the next
ative dairies will also provide fodder and vacci- five years. Over the past four years, the Ministry of
nations to the livestocks of private milk sellers. Cooperation has implemented over 100 initiatives
They will also collect their dung and use it to to strengthen PACS, dairy, fisheries, cooperative
produce gas. When an animal dies, cooperative banks, sugar cooperatives, and governance systems,
dairies will also provide farmers with higher including digital reforms, policy changes, financial
market prices for its skin and bones through support, and institutional capacity building.
cooperatives. This project has already begun To strengthen the cooperative movement, the
with a provision of ₹10,000 crore. Under the central government, under the guidance of Prime
cooperative-led White Revolution 2.0, launched Minister Modi, has collaborated with states to launch
on December 25, 2024, efforts are being made inclusive cooperative initiatives. Decades of neglect

28 NEW INDIA SAMACHAR || December 1-15, 2025