SRINAGAR: The Union Government on Wednesday said it is implementing a multi-pronged strategy to strengthen the cooperative ecosystem in Jammu and Kashmir, while the responsibility for reviving non-functional cooperative societies rests with the Union Territory Administration under the applicable cooperative laws.
Replying to an unstarred question in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Cooperation Amit Shah said the Ministry of Cooperation has introduced several initiatives to improve the viability, governance and operational capacity of cooperative institutions across Jammu and Kashmir.
The Minister said the Ministry launched the Cooperative Ranking Framework on January 24, 2025, providing States and Union Territories with standardised parameters such as audit compliance, financial performance and operational activities. The framework enables Registrars of Cooperative Societies to objectively assess cooperative institutions and take corrective measures where necessary.
To strengthen the cooperative network, the Ministry is supporting the UT Administration through computerisation and digital profiling of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), adoption of Model Bye-laws allowing PACS to undertake over 25 business activities, establishment of new multipurpose PACS, dairy and fishery cooperative societies in uncovered areas, capacity-building programmes, and institutional support through the National Cooperative Development Corporation’s sub-office in Jammu and Kashmir. The UT has also been brought under the operational framework of the Sardar Patel Cooperative Dairy Federation Limited to improve organised milk procurement, dairy practices and market linkages.
According to the Minister, as of July 15, 2026, a total of 1,611 new cooperative societies have been registered in Jammu and Kashmir. These include 232 multipurpose PACS, 1,339 dairy cooperative societies and 40 fishery cooperative societies. Additionally, 760 existing dairy cooperative societies and one fishery cooperative society have been strengthened.
The Government also informed the House that under the Centrally Sponsored Project for Computerisation of PACS, 708 PACS in Jammu and Kashmir have been sanctioned for computerisation. Of these, 537 have been provided hardware, onboarded onto a common ERP-based national software platform and declared as e-PACS. Training programmes are also being conducted for PACS functionaries on governance, ERP operations, business planning, convergence with government schemes and diversification of activities.
Further, PACS are being developed as Common Service Centres and agricultural input service centres to improve access to digital services, banking, insurance and agricultural inputs in remote and border areas. The Ministry said linkages are also being facilitated with national-level cooperative societies engaged in exports, organic products and quality seed production.
