10 Important Questions on the National Cooperative Policy 2025

Explore India's National Cooperative Policy 2025: its aims, beneficiaries, key initiatives like 2 lakh new PACS, and alignment with Viksit Bharat 2047. Understand how it modernizes and strengthens cooperatives for rural prosperity.

1. Question: Why was the National Cooperative Policy 2025 created, and which policy does it replace?

• Answer: It was created to revive and modernize India's cooperative sector, adapting it to the changes brought by globalization and technology over the last two decades. It replaces the earlier National Cooperative Policy of 2002.

• Explanation: The 2002 policy was deemed insufficient to meet modern economic demands. The new policy aims to make cooperatives more professional, inclusive, and capable of driving rural economic growth.

2. Question: What is the official motto or vision driving the National Cooperative Policy 2025?

• Answer: The policy is driven by the vision of "Sahakar se Samriddhi."

• Explanation: This phrase translates to "Prosperity through Cooperation." It signifies the core belief that collective action and mutual assistance through cooperatives are essential for achieving economic prosperity for all, especially in rural India.

3. Question: What is the timeframe of the policy, and what larger national goal is it aligned with?

• Answer: The policy is a 20-year roadmap (2025-2045) and is aligned with the national goal of "Viksit Bharat 2047" (Developed India 2047).

• Explanation: The policy's long-term vision is designed to make a significant, sustained contribution to India's broader objective of becoming a developed nation by the 100th anniversary of its independence.

4. Question: What is a major numerical target for the expansion of the cooperative network under this policy?

• Answer: A key target is the establishment of 2 lakh (200,000) new multi-purpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) by 2026.

• Explanation: This ambitious goal is central to the policy's strategy of ensuring there is a cooperative presence in every village, providing crucial grassroots services like credit, farming inputs, and market access.

5. Question: Who are the primary beneficiaries of this new policy?

• Answer: The main beneficiaries are farmers, small business owners, rural workers, and anyone involved in cooperative societies.

• Explanation: The policy is fundamentally focused on empowering individuals at the grassroots level. It aims to strengthen the cooperative structures they depend on for their livelihoods, financial services, and economic advancement.

6. Question: Beyond creating new societies, what key reforms does the policy focus on for existing cooperatives?

• Answer: The policy focuses on modernizing operations, professionalizing management, and strengthening governance.

• Explanation: The aim is not just to increase the number of cooperatives but to ensure they are all run efficiently, transparently, and effectively. This includes adopting digital tools and improving management practices to build trust and deliver better results.

7. Question: What was the process for drafting the National Cooperative Policy 2025?

• Answer: It was drafted by a 48-member national-level committee chaired by former Union Minister Suresh Prabhu, following extensive consultations with experts and stakeholders across India.

• Explanation: The inclusive drafting process, which involved numerous meetings and regional workshops, was designed to ensure the final policy was comprehensive and reflected the actual needs of the cooperative sector.

8. Question: The policy aims to support cooperative growth in which key economic sectors?

• Answer: The policy supports growth in diverse sectors such as farming, dairy, fisheries, and banking.

• Explanation: This demonstrates the policy's comprehensive scope, recognizing the vital and varied roles that cooperatives play throughout the Indian economy, from agricultural production to financial services.

9. Question: What specific impact does the policy aim to have on rural India?

• Answer: It aims to boost rural development, generate large-scale employment, and increase rural income.

• Explanation: By strengthening the cooperative ecosystem at the village level, the policy seeks to create local jobs and provide rural communities with the resources and opportunities needed for economic self-sufficiency and prosperity.

10. Question: What is the role of technology within the framework of the new policy?

• Answer: Technology is crucial, with a specific focus on digitizing the operations of cooperative societies.

• Explanation: The policy acknowledges that modernization requires technology. Digitization is seen as essential for improving efficiency, ensuring transparency in financial transactions, and making services more accessible to members, thereby making cooperatives more competitive and sustainable.