Bastar, Chhattisgarh, October 8, 2026: The Ministry of Cooperation has launched its two-day 9th National Review Workshop in Bastar, Chhattisgarh, bringing together senior state officials, Registrars of Cooperative Societies and representatives of national cooperative institutions to accelerate the implementation of key cooperative-sector initiatives.
Organised under the theme “Sahkar Se Samriddhi — The Road Ahead: Scaling Impact through Cooperative Transformation,” the workshop aims to assess progress, share successful practices and develop actionable priorities for the next three months.
The initiative aligns with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Sahkar Se Samriddhi and is being pursued under the leadership of Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah. Holding the workshop in Bastar, a region historically affected by Left Wing Extremism, adds significance to the effort to strengthen grassroots cooperative institutions.
Addressing the inaugural session, Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Secretary, Ministry of Cooperation, said the idea of conducting the workshop in Bastar came from Amit Shah. He emphasised that discussions must lead to measurable results through stronger coordination, institutional collaboration and the wider adoption of successful cooperative models.
Bhutani highlighted democratic governance, transparency, accountability and adherence to cooperative principles as essential foundations for sustainable growth. He particularly stressed the role of cooperative banks in providing financial services to rural and semi-urban communities that may have limited access to commercial banking facilities.
He urged State Registrars to strengthen supervision and take a proactive approach to monitoring cooperative institutions, cautioning that governance failures could damage public confidence in the wider cooperative movement.
The Ministry is working with the Reserve Bank of India to improve resource mobilisation by cooperative banks and expand concessional financing opportunities for farmers and other stakeholders. Technology adoption, effective risk management and stronger customer confidence were identified as important priorities.
Participation by NABARD and a dedicated session with the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) are intended to address financing requirements and explore solutions tailored to individual states.
Bhutani also highlighted the recent amendment to the NCDC Act, which enables financial assistance to certain institutions that are not themselves cooperatives but work towards promoting cooperative development. State-level institutions were encouraged to coordinate effectively and make use of these expanded financing opportunities.
Strengthening Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), diversifying their business activities and improving their participation in government procurement emerged as key areas of discussion.
States were asked to assess the actual financial benefits PACS receive from procurement activities, including commissions earned, payment delays, operational costs and overall financial viability. The findings could help identify effective models for adoption across the country.
The workshop also examined the proposed development of a common digital marketing platform for cooperative products and agricultural produce, with support from the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC). State governments will be invited to offer suggestions on creating a practical system that connects cooperatives with wider markets.
Participants also discussed linking PACS and tribal cooperatives with state and national federations to improve market access and help members secure better prices for their produce.
The agenda includes strengthening dairy cooperatives, developing value chains, improving human resource policies, building institutional capacity and encouraging innovation across the sector.
Bhutani encouraged states to share successful experiments, including initiatives in emerging areas such as electric vehicles, to enable effective practices to be replicated elsewhere.
The workshop is also reviewing initiatives involving multipurpose PACS, PACS computerisation, the World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan, cooperative banking and the activities of National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL) and NCDC.
Thematic sessions are addressing cooperative development in northeastern and eastern frontier states, including Left Wing Extremism-affected districts of Chhattisgarh and Odisha. Other discussions focus on improving credit delivery, adopting technology, strengthening primary cooperatives and developing new value chains through multipurpose primary cooperative institutions.
Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary Vikas Sheel assured the participants of the state government’s full support and expressed confidence that the workshop would generate practical solutions.
The two-day review seeks to translate state-level experiences and identified challenges into concrete guidelines, stronger cooperative institutions and sustainable economic benefits for members. The three-month action plan is expected to help participating states focus on measurable progress and accelerate the implementation of cooperative development initiatives.