Odisha’s cooperative sector is powering ahead with renewed energy and modern tools. Fresh data shows that as on 15 July 2026, the state has 8,667 cooperative societies, of which an impressive 8,063 are fully functional and serving farmers, dairy producers, fishermen, and rural entrepreneurs.
In a written reply in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah highlighted the transformative steps taken by the Ministry of Cooperation to turn the vision of “Sahakar-se-Samriddhi” into reality on the ground in Odisha.
A flagship initiative is the Central Sector Scheme for Computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS). Launched in 2022 and now expanded to cover 79,630 PACS nationwide with a revised outlay of ₹2,925.39 crore, the project brings all functional PACS onto a common ERP-based national software platform.
Odisha joined the project in 2025. So far, 4,240 PACS in the state have been sanctioned, with financial assistance of ₹25.07 crore already released — ₹18.07 crore in 2025-26 and ₹7 crore in the current financial year. The computerisation links PACS directly with NABARD through State Cooperative Banks and District Central Cooperative Banks, promising greater transparency, faster credit delivery, and ease of doing business for lakhs of members.₹3,352 Crore
The National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) has cumulatively disbursed a massive ₹3,352.03 crore for the development of Odisha’s cooperative sector as on 30 June 2026. Recent years have seen focused investments in Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), fisheries, storage infrastructure, and computerisation, helping cooperatives diversify and become financially stronger.
To prevent closures and build resilience, the Ministry is actively converting Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), dairy, and fisheries cooperatives into multipurpose entities. This allows them to expand into new economic activities, improve sustainability, and better serve their members. The National Cooperative Database (NCD) is being used to identify gaps in coverage and promote new multipurpose societies, while also enabling a Cooperative Ranking Framework that encourages healthy competition.
Additionally, a dedicated Co-operative Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Development Fund has been created under the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (Amendment) Act, 2023 to revive sick multi-state cooperatives and support critical infrastructure needs.
Since the Ministry of Cooperation was established in July 2021, several landmark steps have been taken — relief for cooperatives under the Income Tax Act, revival of cooperative sugar mills, creation of three new national-level multi-state societies, capacity-building programmes, the National Cooperation Policy, and the establishment of Tribhuvan Sahkari University.
These combined efforts are strengthening the backbone of Odisha’s rural economy, ensuring that cooperatives become more vibrant, transparent, and economically self-reliant.
With digitisation rolling out and substantial funding flowing in, Odisha’s cooperative societies are well-positioned to deliver greater prosperity to farmers and rural communities in the years ahead.
