National Cooperative Database (NCD): Coverage of cooperatives and status of PACS/M-PACS, computerization and ERP onboarded
National Cooperative Database maps more than 8.5 lakh cooperative societies and tracks PACS, M-PACS, computerisation, and ERP onboarding
- The National Cooperative Database is meant to provide a single-point view of cooperative societies for policy formulation, implementation, ranking, and sectoral assessment.
- The PACS computerisation project is a Central Sector Project that uses an ERP-based national software platform and connects PACS through the cooperative banking network.
- The Government approved new multipurpose PACS, dairy, and fisheries cooperative societies covering all Panchayats and villages on 15 February 2023.
The Ministry of Cooperation has expanded the National Cooperative Database (NCD) as a single-point information system for cooperative societies in India. The update matters because it combines sector-wise mapping, membership data, and implementation status for Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and their computerisation.
What the National Cooperative Database does
The Ministry of Cooperation, with support from States and Union Territories, has developed the NCD to provide one portal for cooperative-sector information. According to the Ministry, the database covers more than 8.5 lakh cooperative societies across 30 economic sectors and has information on about 30 crore members.
UPSC can ask about the role of the National Cooperative Database in cooperative-sector planning, the design of PACS computerisation, and the policy significance of expanding multipurpose PACS in underserved areas. The issue also links cooperative federalism, digital public infrastructure, and agricultural credit delivery.
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