Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday will launch a national cooperative database to foster a cooperative-centric economic model.
Mr. Shah will also release the 'National Cooperative Database 2023: A Report', according to an official statement on Thursday.
To fulfill Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of 'Sahakar se Samriddhi', it is another important initiative of the cooperation ministry.
Under this initiative, the cooperation ministry has recognised the imperative need for a robust database to capture vital information about India's vast cooperative sector.
"Collaborating with state governments, national federations, and stakeholders, a national cooperative database has been developed to foster a cooperative-centric economic model," the statement said.
The database is a web-based digital dashboard wherein data of cooperative societies including national/state federations have been captured.
The data of cooperative societies have been entered and validated by states/ UTs nodal officials at RCS/DRCS offices and data of federations have been provided by various national/state federations. RCS is Registrar of Co-operative Societies and DRCS is Deputy Registrar of Cooperative Societies.
"The national database has collected/mapped information of about 8 lakh cooperatives with a collective membership of more than 29 crores spread across various sectors in the country," the ministry said.
The information collected from cooperative societies is on various parameters such as their registered name, date, location, number of members, sectoral information, area of operation, economic activities, financial statements, status of audit, etc.
On Friday, around 1,400 participants including secretaries and other senior officers of central ministries/departments, additional chief secretaries/principal secretaries of cooperation from states/UTs, RCS, cooperative societies, and cooperative federations/unions across the country will attend the event.
A technical workshop will be organised to brief and enlighten the participants about the use and application of the database and its potential to improve the cooperative landscape in India.
The data of cooperatives was collected on the national cooperative database in a phased manner from the various stakeholders.
In the first phase, mapping of about 2.64 lakh primary cooperative societies of three sectors i.e. Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), Dairy, and Fisheries was completed.
The ministry said that in the second phase, the data of various national federations, state federations, State Cooperative Banks (StCB), District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs), Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs), State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (SCARDB), Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Bank (PCARDB), Sugar Cooperative Mills, District Unions and Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) were collected/mapped.
In the third phase, data of more than 5.3 lakh primary cooperative societies was mapped from all the remaining other sectors through the office of State/UTs RCS/DRCS offices.
National cooperative database will serve as a crucial tool for efficient communication between the central ministry, states/UTs, and cooperative societies, benefiting all stakeholders in the cooperative sector.
The database provides comprehensive contact details for registered societies, facilitating smooth communication between government entities and these societies.
National cooperative database offers benefits like single point access, comprehensive and updated data, user-friendly interface, vertical and horizontal linkages, query-based reports and graphs, Management Information System (MIS) reports, data analytics and Geographical Mapping.
The success of this initiative relies on effective collaboration, accurate data collection, and strategic utilisation of the database to identify the sectoral gaps and accordingly make suitable policy and informed decision-making for filling the vacuum.
"Overall, database promotes transparency and collaboration within the cooperative sector," the statement said.
The launch of the national cooperative database will be a milestone in the cooperative sector, the ministry said.
"The growth of cooperatives in rural areas holds the promise of addressing economic, social, and community challenges, empowering individuals, alleviating poverty, and contributing to the overall well-being of rural communities," the statement said.
