Ministry of Cooperation
Branch of Government of India
Ministry of Cooperation
Agency overview
Formed6 July 2021 (3 years ago) (2021-07-06)
JurisdictionGovernment of India
HeadquartersNew Delhi
Minister responsible
Deputy Ministers responsible
Agency executive
  • Ashish Kumar Bhutani, IAS, Secretary

The Ministry of Cooperation is a Union ministry under the Government of India[1] which was formed in 2021. The ministry provides a separate administrative, legal and policy framework for strengthening the cooperative movement in the country. The ministry's creation was announced on 6 July 2021[2] along with its vision statement of Sahkar se samriddhi (transl. Prosperity through cooperation). Before the creation of this ministry, the objectives of this ministry were looked after by the Ministry of Agriculture.[3]

The ministry works in strengthening co-operatives at the grassroot level,[4][5] working to streamline processes for 'Ease of doing business' for co-operatives and enabling the development of Multi-State Co-operatives (MSCS).[6][7] The same was initially announced by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman while presenting the 2021 Union budget.[4]

Objectives

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The ministry was created with objectives of:[8]

Cooperative Societies at National Level

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Core Cooperative Society at National Level

Cooperative Banks at National Level

Development Cooperative Banks at National Level

Consumer Cooperative Societies at National Level

Worker Cooperative Societies at National Level

Housing Cooperative Societies at National Level

Producer/Marketing Cooperative Societies at National Level

Cabinet Ministers

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No. Portrait Minister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency
Term of office Political party Ministry Prime Minister
From To Period
1 Amit Shah
(born 1964)
MP for Gandhinagar
7 July
2021
Incumbent 3 years, 15 days Bharatiya Janata Party Modi II Narendra Modi
Modi III

Ministers of State

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No. Portrait Minister
(Birth-Death)
Constituency
Term of office Political party Ministry Prime Minister
From To Period
1 B. L. Verma
(born 1961)
Rajya Sabha MP for Uttar Pradesh
7 July
2021
9 June
2024
2 years, 338 days Bharatiya Janata Party Modi II Narendra Modi
2 Krishan Pal Gurjar
(born 1957)
MP for Faridabad
10 June
2024
Incumbent 42 days Modi III
3 Murlidhar Mohol
(born 1974)
MP for Pune

Department of Co-operation State Committees

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Department of Co-operation State Committees was created with objectives of:[8]

Criticism

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Co-operative societies, being a subject of State List under the Seventh schedule of the Constitution, many experts raised concerns that, creating such a ministry at the central level would increase the power in the hands of the union government.[9]

Kerala's Minister of Co-operation and Registration V. N. Vasavan claimed that, "Creation of a new Cooperation ministry will make it difficult for state government to interfere in cooperative organisations and is an infringement upon the federal rights of the state governments. [....] This is an intrusion into the authority of the state governments."[10]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Explained: Why a Ministry of Cooperation". The Indian Express. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 12 February 2022.
  2. ^ https://cabsec.gov.in/writereaddata/allocationbusinessrule/amendment/english/1_Upload_3012.pdf
  3. ^ "Explained: Why a Cooperation Ministry". The Indian Express. 9 July 2021. Retrieved 9 July 2021.
  4. ^ a b Mishra, Himanshu Shekhar (6 July 2021). Pullanoor, Harish (ed.). "New "Ministry Of Cooperation" Created A Day Before PM's Cabinet Reshuffle". NDTV.com.
  5. ^ Mathew, Liz; Tiwari, Ravish (7 July 2021). "Governor reshuffle, new Ministry clear decks for Cabinet expansion". The Indian Express.
  6. ^ "Modi Government creates a new Ministry of Co-operation". Press Information Bureau. 6 July 2021.
  7. ^ Saha, Poulomi (6 July 2021). "Ministry of Cooperation: Modi govt creates new ministry to strengthen cooperative movement". India Today. Delhi.
  8. ^ a b "Explained: Why did Modi government form a new cooperation ministry | India News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  9. ^ "Cooperative spirit: On the new Union Ministry of Cooperation". The Hindu. 12 July 2021. Retrieved 12 July 2021.
  10. ^ ""Assault On Federalism": Kerala Leaders On Ministry Of Cooperation". NDTV.com. Retrieved 12 July 2021.