Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma of Rajasthan addressed the 5th Foundation Day celebration of the Ministry of Cooperation in New Delhi on Monday, 6 July 2026, declaring that Rajasthan has secured a leading position nationally in affiliating Primary Agricultural Credit Societies with the Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti and in forming new multi-purpose cooperative societies.

Context

Speaking at the event, CM Bhajanlal Sharma said — translated from Hindi — that 'prathamik krishi rin samitiyon ko Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti ki sadasyata dilaane' (affiliating primary agricultural credit societies with the national seed cooperative) and forming new multi-purpose cooperative societies are areas where Rajasthan has achieved a national-level lead. The Chief Minister's remarks came under the hashtag #आपणो_अग्रणी_राजस्थान, which translates to 'Our Leading Rajasthan', a phrase the state government has used to highlight development benchmarks.

The Ministry of Cooperation was established in July 2021 as a dedicated central ministry to give focused policy attention to India's cooperative sector, which had previously been handled as a sub-function of the agriculture ministry. Its foundation day marks the anniversary of that creation.

Policy Backdrop

Since 2021, the central government has promoted a cluster of new national-level cooperatives — covering seeds, fertilisers, and exports — and has simultaneously pushed state governments to affiliate their village-level Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) with these bodies. The drive is part of a broader effort to integrate grassroots cooperative networks into larger agricultural supply chains and reduce farmer dependence on private intermediaries.

The Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti is one such national cooperative, set up to improve the availability and quality of certified seeds through the cooperative network. Membership of PACS in this body is intended to give village-level societies a direct role in seed procurement and distribution, strengthening the last-mile link between national agricultural policy and individual farmers.

A parallel nationwide programme to computerise and modernise PACS, launched in 2021–22 with central funding, has also been a key pillar of this reform agenda, aiming to make these societies more transparent and operationally efficient.

Stakeholders and Impact

Rajasthan, a predominantly agrarian state in north-western India with a large rural cooperative network, stands to benefit significantly if PACS affiliations translate into improved seed access and credit flow for farmers. PACS members — predominantly smallholder and marginal farmers — are the primary beneficiaries of any expansion in cooperative services at the village level.

The formation of new multi-purpose cooperative societies extends the model beyond credit, potentially covering input supply, storage, and market linkages. This diversification is central to the central government's vision of cooperatives as full-service rural institutions rather than single-purpose credit bodies.

What's Next

State-wise data on new multi-purpose cooperative registrations and PACS affiliations is expected to be released as the Ministry of Cooperation tracks progress across states. Rajasthan's claimed national lead will be tested against comparable disclosures from other large agricultural states. Further announcements on PACS modernisation and cooperative expansion are anticipated at upcoming ministry-level events, with CM Bhajanlal Sharma having now publicly staked the state's reputation on its cooperative performance.