A project is under way to create a national database of India’s co-operatives, led by the country’s Ministry of Cooperation.
The Ministry says the National Cooperative Database will provide a single point of information on co-ops in all sectors across the country, to increase understanding of the movement and strengthen it in India.
In a presentation last year, the Ministry said the database “is envisaged to facilitate in policy making, improve governance and improve transparency”, as well as helping the sector better position itself in the business environment.
Entries to the database are voluntary for co-ops, and those wishing to be included will be asked for static information and financial figures that will need annual updates.
The database could protentially be linked with India’s Government E Market(GEM), which would enable co-ops to sell via this platform, adds the Ministry.
In 2022, the Ministry held a series of consultations with stakeholders to identify sector-specific parameters for data collection, and produced a set of data collection templates.
The first phase of development, due for completion at the end of last year, collected basic data from co-operative fisheries, dairy co-ops and primary agriculture credit societies (PACS).
The second phase of data collection starts in February, taking data related to co-ops’ operations, use of ICT, employment, economic activities, revenue, expenses, assets and liabilities.
The Ministry of Cooperation has been contacted for further information.
