Two-day conference to be held on National Cooperation Policy from Tuesday, six themes to be discussed

The government is hoping to finalise the policy by next March and the conference is a move in this direction

Hoping to put in place a new National Cooperation Policy by this fiscal, the Union government is organising a two-day national conference in New Delhi from Tuesday to hold discussions on six identified themes.

Officials said representatives from 36 states and union territories and around two dozen central ministries will attend the conference, which will be inaugurated by Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Heads of around 40 cooperatives and national institutes are also expected to be in attendance.

While this is the first phase of consultations, sources said, a second conference involving federations and unions will be held soon to take the process forward.

"These efforts will culminate in formulation of a new robust National Cooperation Policy giving impetus to strengthen cooperative based economic models in the country to realise the mantra of 'Sahkar se Samridhi'," a top ministry official said. The official said they expect it to be in place by March next year.

At the conference, the delegates will discuss legal framework, identification of regulatory policy, strengthening governance, making cooperatives vibrant economic entities, training and education, promoting new cooperatives and revitalising defunct ones and promoting social cooperatives and the role of cooperatives in social security.

Also Read — Amit Shah calls for reforms in cooperative sector

With "no updated authentic data repository" about cooperatives, their activities, their members and their financial details available with the Centre, the ministry is also is planning to develop a national database for co-operatives, which is expected to act as a "main planning tool" for states, central ministries, federations, and institutions like NABARD.

The government is also working to fast-track the conceptualisation of model by-laws to govern around 63,000 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS).

The new policy will update the existing framework that was brought in place by the A B Vajpayee government in March 2002. Shah, last September, announced that a new policy will be brought in as part of 'Amrit Mahotsav' after extensive consultation with stakeholders.

The Ministry of Cooperation, which was formed on July 6 last year, sought suggestions from states and other stakeholders earlier. So far, around 20 state governments and 10 central ministries and 30 federations have submitted their suggestions.

A senior official said they have received as many as 54 suggestions from various stakeholders. These suggestions will be discussed during the conference.

States that have provided inputs include Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim, Tripura, Himachal Pradesh and Ladakh. The central ministries and organisations include NITI Aayog, Ministry of Food Processing Industries, Ministry of Jal Shakti, Department of Fertilisers and Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, officials said.

The National Federation of States' Cooperative Banks, IFFCO, NAFED, National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), National Federation of Urban Cooperative Banks and Credit Societies Ltd (NAFCUB), National Federation of Fisheries Cooperative Ltd and National Cooperatives of Housing Federations of India among others have also submitted their inputs, they added.

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