Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah on Monday, 6 July 2026 highlighted the transformative impact of the cooperative sector under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, citing outreach to 30 crore members and more than 8.5 lakh cooperative institutions as the movement completes five years under a dedicated ministry.

Context

Shah's post, shared under the hashtag #SahkarSeSamriddhiKe5Saal ('Five years of prosperity through cooperation'), credited Modi's decision-making as the foundation for change and achievement in the lives of crores of Indians. The Hindi post translates: 'Modi ji's decision made cooperation the basis of transformation and achievement in the lives of crores of people through 30 crore members and more than 8.5 lakh cooperative institutions.'

The post was accompanied by a video, underscoring the government's effort to document and publicise milestones of the cooperative movement over the past five years.

Policy Backdrop

In July 2021, the Government of India carved out a dedicated Ministry of Cooperation — the first of its kind at the central level — to give focused policy attention to a sector that had previously been managed under the Agriculture Ministry. Amit Shah was appointed its first minister, signalling the political priority the BJP-led government placed on cooperative reform.

Since its formation, the ministry has pursued structural changes including computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), introduction of model bye-laws, and integration of cooperatives into the broader Atmanirbhar Bharat framework. The Sahkar Se Samriddhi ('Prosperity Through Cooperation') initiative was launched as the overarching programme to channel these reforms into measurable outcomes.

Stakeholders and Impact

The cooperative sector in India serves as a critical economic backbone for rural households, farmers, dairy producers, and marginalised communities. With 8.5 lakh-plus cooperative societies operating across the country, the network spans credit, dairy, marketing, housing, and fisheries — touching daily livelihoods at the grassroots level.

A membership base of 30 crore makes India's cooperative movement one of the largest in the world. Government reforms aimed at improving governance and financial transparency in these institutions are intended to unlock greater economic participation for low-income rural members who depend on cooperatives for credit and market access.

What's Next

The five-year milestone is expected to be followed by the rollout of a new National Cooperative Policy, which the ministry has been working on to provide a long-term legislative and regulatory framework for the sector. Possible amendments to the Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act are also anticipated in an upcoming parliamentary session, which could further expand the central government's role in regulating large cooperative entities that operate across state boundaries.

As the Sahkar Se Samriddhi programme marks its fifth year, the government is likely to use this moment to announce the next phase of cooperative expansion, with emphasis on new-age cooperatives in areas such as organic farming, exports, and digital services.