Union Minister Amit Shah speaks in the Lok Sabha during the Monsoon Session of Parliament, in New Delhi Photo: Sansad TV/ANI Video Grab
Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday (August 19, 2025) informed the Lok Sabha that two seats had been reserved for women, and one seat for Scheduled Castes (SC) or Scheduled Tribes (ST) on the boards of multi-State cooperative societies, while responding to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s questions on initiatives to increase SC/ST participation in the cooperative sector.
In a written reply, Mr. Shah said the government had incorporated similar provisions in model byelaws for primary agricultural credit societies (PACS) distributed to all States.
“To increase the participation of Women, ST and SC, in Multi State Cooperative Societies registered all over the country, the Government of India vide the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (amendment) Act, 2023 and Rules framed thereunder has made provisions for reservation of two seats for Women and one seat for SC or ST in the Board of multi-State cooperative societies. Besides above, Ministry of Cooperation has circulated Model Bye-laws for PACS to all the States/ UTs under which provisions have been made to make the membership of PACS more inclusive, giving adequate representation to Women and Scheduled Castes/Schedules Tribes,” the reply stated.
Mr. Gandhi had sought details on government initiatives to increase SC and ST participation in forming cooperative societies. He also asked whether the government had granted exemptions to mandatory allocation under the SC/ST sub-plan for major schemes implemented by the Cooperation Ministry, particularly financial assistance for setting up ethanol plants.
The reply stated that the Ministry was implementing multiple schemes, including computerisation of PACS, grant-in-aid to the National Cooperative Development Corporation for strengthening cooperative sugar mills, and IT interventions for cooperatives.
“These schemes are benefiting farmer members of the cooperative societies, which include SC/ST farmers as well,” the reply stated, explaining that exemptions were granted given the nature of scheme implementation through cooperative societies.
Published – August 19, 2025 11:06 pm IST
