93rd Meeting of the General Council of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) held in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah

In furtherance of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’ and towards accelerating cooperative-led development that reaches every citizen and includes every section of society, the 93rd Meeting of the General Council of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) was held today at the Corporation's headquarters in New Delhi under the chairmanship of Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah. The meeting deliberated on various matters relating to NCDC's financial and institutional achievements, expansion of financing in the cooperative sector, development of new Multi-State Cooperative Societies, strengthening of rural livelihoods and the Corporation's future roadmap.

Addressing the General Council meeting, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah said that NCDC has delivered highly commendable performance over the past nearly five years. The Corporation has not only made significant progress in its financial performance and achievement of prescribed targets but has also recorded important accomplishments, including increased profit per employee, expansion in loan sanctions and disbursements, and maintenance of zero net Non-Performing Assets (NPAs). He expressed particular satisfaction that NCDC has now established its presence in all States and Union Territories of the country. The expansion of offices into remote regions such as Ladakh and smaller States of the North-East marks an important step towards taking the cooperative movement to the remotest parts of the country. Shri Amit Shah congratulated the officers and employees of the Corporation on these achievements.

Shri Amit Shah said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi fulfilled a decades-old demand of the cooperative sector by establishing a separate Ministry of Cooperation. The objective is not merely to increase the number of cooperative institutions but to connect every citizen of the country with the development process. He observed that the development of a vast country like India cannot be assessed solely on the basis of Gross Domestic Product, per capita income or industrial investment. True development also means ensuring that every section of society has access to opportunities, every citizen can lead a life of dignity and everyone is able to contribute to the nation's progress. He explained that development reaching every citizen signifies Sarvasparshi Vikas, while Sarvasamaveshi Vikas means ensuring equal participation of all regions, from Ladakh to Lakshadweep, in the country's development journey.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that cooperation is the most effective means of connecting the collective strength of small farmers, livestock rearers, rural women, fishermen and economically weaker sections, who have limited capital, with national development. Cooperative institutions can bring together large numbers of people with limited capital and create new opportunities in production, processing, marketing and income generation. He said that Amul, IFFCO and several other successful cooperative institutions in the country demonstrate that globally competitive organisations can be developed by combining cooperative values with professional management. Referring to the outstanding performance of Indian cooperative institutions in international cooperative rankings, he described it as a matter of pride for the entire cooperative sector of the country.

Shri Amit Shah said that NCDC has expanded its activities across production, processing, marketing, rural industrial activities, water conservation, agricultural insurance, cooperative banking and sectors associated with the circular economy. The Corporation has also played a significant role in the formation, capital investment and operations of national-level Multi-State Cooperative Societies. He observed that, considering NCDC's achievements over the past five years, this period could be described as a golden era of sorts for the Corporation. However, he emphasised that these achievements should not lead to complacency. Comprehensive reforms are needed in the Corporation's institutional structure, capacity to mobilise financial resources, professional functioning and models of partnership with cooperative institutions to meet changing requirements.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation directed NCDC to prepare a comprehensive roadmap for the next 25 years. He said that a group comprising experienced representatives of the cooperative sector and professional experts should be constituted to examine the Corporation's existing structure, alternative avenues for capital mobilisation, participation of cooperative institutions, financial autonomy, organisational reforms and future business opportunities. He also suggested organising a workshop on these issues. Shri Amit Shah said that a special meeting should be convened for detailed presentations and deliberations on the subject so that progress could be made towards taking the necessary decisions.

Shri Amit Shah said that the administrative systems of cooperative institutions should be professional, while their fundamental approach must remain rooted in cooperative principles. He observed that excessive dependence on government assistance and government banks creates certain limitations for institutional development. NCDC should, therefore, develop financial and organisational models that enable the Corporation to mobilise resources in line with its growing requirements and fully harness the potential of the cooperative sector. He said that while the development of the cooperative sector is NCDC's responsibility, ensuring NCDC's own development should be the collective resolve of all members of the General Council.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation appreciated NCDC's role in the development of institutions such as National Cooperative Exports Limited (NCEL), Bharatiya Beej Sahakari Samiti Limited (BBSSL), National Cooperative Organics Limited (NCOL), Bharat Taxi, Sahakar Sarathi and the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC), the umbrella organisation for Urban Cooperative Banks. He expressed confidence that these institutions could emerge as large and influential Multi-State Cooperative Societies at the national level in the coming years. He said that, alongside providing financial assistance to large cooperative enterprises, bringing about direct improvements in the livelihoods of small farmers, livestock rearers and fishermen is an equally important responsibility of NCDC.

Citing an example from the fisheries sector, Shri Amit Shah said that financial assistance has been sanctioned through NCDC for approximately 100 trawlers engaged in deep-sea fishing. Highlighting the social and economic impact of this initiative, he observed that such financing has the potential to significantly increase the monthly incomes of a large number of fishing families. He said that although a project of this scale may appear relatively small to a major financial institution, the transformation it can bring to the lives of the families concerned, their children's education and their future opportunities is extremely significant. He encouraged the Corporation to further expand such grassroots initiatives.

Shri Amit Shah also emphasised the need to develop new business models based on the circular economy for cooperative sugar mills. Referring to proposed new Multi-State cooperative initiatives in Kolhapur and Pune in Maharashtra, he said that common processing and industrial facilities could be developed for ethanol, CNG, chemicals and other value-added products associated with sugar mills. This would particularly benefit cooperative sugar mills that are not in a position to make large investments or establish modern processing plants independently. Emphasis was also placed on ensuring that the benefits generated through such arrangements reach the cooperative sugar mills concerned.

Emphasising greater participation of youth, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation said that qualified young people who have completed training and internships under the ‘Sahakar Mitra’ programme should be associated with new Multi-State Cooperative Societies. This would promote modern management practices, business efficiency and professional leadership in cooperative institutions. Referring to the study of Banas Dairy's successful management model, he suggested drawing upon its experiences to strengthen NCDC's future operations and institutional development.

Shri Amit Shah stressed the need to rapidly increase NCDC's financial disbursements in the coming years. Referring to the targets of ₹1.70 lakh crore for FY 2026–27, ₹2.10 lakh crore for FY 2027–28 and ₹2.50 lakh crore for FY 2028–29, he called for setting even more ambitious targets for subsequent years. He emphasised working towards disbursements of approximately ₹3.50 lakh crore in FY 2029–30 and ₹4 lakh crore in FY 2030–31. Shri Amit Shah said that, given the growing opportunities in dairy, fisheries, cooperative banking and other sectors, NCDC must enhance its financial capacity proportionately so that the financing requirements of the cooperative sector can be met through a cooperative-based institutional framework.

The Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation appreciated the support extended by the Reserve Bank of India and the Ministry of Finance towards NCDC's development. He said that positive cooperation has been received at various levels to address the Corporation's financial and regulatory challenges, and efforts would continue to remove the remaining obstacles. He suggested that NCDC explore opportunities for developing consortium and co-financing models in collaboration with NABARD, State Cooperative Banks and commercial banks. He also emphasised developing new financing models to meet the entire financial requirements of the dairy cooperative sector.

Giving special priority to the development of the North-Eastern Region, Shri Amit Shah said that a target has been set to make the North-East self-reliant in the production of milk, eggs, fish and meat by 2030. He observed that a substantial portion of the region's current requirements in these sectors is met from outside the region, despite the immense potential for dairy, fisheries and animal husbandry in the North-East. He said that achieving self-reliance in these four sectors could lead to an unprecedented increase in the region's income and generate employment opportunities. He directed NCDC's offices in the North-East to prepare practical projects focused on these sectors, provide the necessary financing and implement them in collaboration with the respective State Governments.

According to the financial details presented during the meeting, NCDC has cumulatively disbursed financial assistance amounting to ₹4,14,586 crore to cooperative institutions across the country from the establishment of the Ministry of Cooperation up to 25 October 2026. During FY 2025–26, the Corporation sanctioned projects worth ₹1,55,408 crore and disbursed financial assistance of ₹1,27,596 crore. During the same period, the Corporation earned a net profit of ₹1,475 crore, while its loan recovery rate stood at 99.84 per cent and net NPA remained zero. NCDC's annual disbursements increased from ₹24,733 crore in FY 2020–21 to ₹1,27,596 crore in FY 2025–26, representing an approximately fivefold increase over the past five years. The 3,339 units and projects sanctioned by NCDC during FY 2025–26 provided for benefits to 14,881 cooperative societies.

The meeting also discussed the significance of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (Amendment) Act, 2026. Passed by both Houses of Parliament and having received the assent of the President, the Act was published in the Gazette of India on 14 August 2026. The amendment has expanded the avenues for providing financial assistance for cooperative development, institutional participation and new investment opportunities through equity and share capital. With the objective of making financial assistance more accessible and competitive for cooperative institutions, the Central Government has approved grant assistance of ₹2,000 crore for NCDC, enabling the Corporation to make arrangements to mobilise ₹20,000 crore from the market over four years. Under this initiative, loans amounting to ₹9,380 crore were disbursed during FY 2025–26 and ₹6,172 crore during FY 2026–27 up to 25 October.

To promote innovation and entrepreneurship in the cooperative sector, NCDC has launched the ‘Sahakar Navachar Yojana’. The scheme provides for 100 per cent grant assistance of up to ₹25 lakh to eligible cooperative institutions. An initial corpus of ₹10 crore has been established for the scheme, with 20 per cent of the funds earmarked for cooperative institutions in the North-Eastern Region, hilly areas and disadvantaged sections. So far, grant assistance totalling ₹85 lakh has been sanctioned to five cooperative institutions. In addition, cooperative institutions are being provided guidance and support in business development, digital accounting, financial management, branding and market linkages.

To promote human resource development and capacity building in cooperative institutions, NCDC's Laxmanrao Inamdar National Academy for Cooperative Research and Development (LINAC) and its regional training centres are conducting extensive training programmes. During FY 2025–26, a total of 21,688 participants attended 227 training programmes. The agreement between NCDC and Tribhuvan Sahkari University (TSU) to enhance modern management, digital technology, financial discipline, branding and professional competence in cooperative institutions is a commendable step.

The General Council meeting also reviewed the audited annual accounts, annual report and financial performance for FY 2025–26, besides deliberating on financial programmes for the coming years, opportunities for resource mobilisation and the growing financing requirements of the cooperative sector. Special emphasis was placed on the Corporation's long-term strategy in the context of the financial proposals included in the meeting's agenda and the ambitious future disbursement targets suggested by the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation during his address.

Concluding his address, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah congratulated NCDC's officers, members of the General Council and employees on the Corporation's financial performance, zero net NPA and institutional expansion. He expressed confidence that NCDC would continue to expand its scope of activities, financial capacity and professional functioning, and play an important role in realising Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of ‘Sahkar se Samriddhi’, making cooperation a powerful instrument of rural prosperity, employment generation, economic self-reliance and inclusive national development.

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