What happened: Cooperative Ranking Framework and J&K strengthening measures

The Ministry of Cooperation, with Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah reporting in Rajya Sabha, launched a Cooperative Ranking Framework on 24 January 2025. The framework aims to enable objective and continuous assessment of cooperative societies using standardized parameters, so the State Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) can take steps to strengthen cooperatives at the state, district, and block levels.

The Ministry also reported multiple strengthening actions for cooperative institutions in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), including computerization and digital profiling of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), adoption of Model Bye-laws enabling PACS to undertake more than 25 business activities, and support for new multipurpose PACS, dairy, and fishery cooperatives in uncovered areas. Additional measures include capacity building, business diversification, and institutional support through the sub-office of the National Cooperative Development Corporation in J&K.

For dairy procurement and market linkages, the Union Territory was included within the operational framework of the Sardar Patel Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited to facilitate organized milk procurement, modern dairy practices, and improved market linkages.

Cooperative Ranking Framework: what the framework measures

The Cooperative Ranking Framework provides standardized assessment parameters that include: audit compliance, financial performance, and operational activities. These parameters are designed to support independent assessments by the State Registrar of Cooperative Societies and guide “necessary steps” to strengthen cooperative societies.

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