India’s cooperative movement is growing beyond agriculture, with 844,000 registered cooperatives driving local development
The policy aims to increase cooperatives by 30%, bringing 500 million people into active participation
PACs will act as "implementing agencies" for government schemes, with reforms to improve elections and reduce political interference
The policy focuses on improving cooperatives' export capabilities in sectors like dairy, spices, and handicrafts
Initiatives like the Tribhuvan Sahkari University aim to address gaps in innovation and skills
40% of PACs are defunct, and digital adoption is slow. Regulatory overlap is a key challenge to cooperatives’ growth