Archive · 31 Jul 2026
India Boosts Cooperative Banks with Digital Platforms and Reform
India has a huge network of cooperative banks that help farmers, small businesses and low‑income people.
These banks have been slow to use new technology and face many rules that limit their growth.
In 2021 the government created two new groups, NUCFDC for city banks and SSPL for rural banks, to give them shared digital tools.
A campaign called Cooperation among Cooperatives helped banks in Gujarat raise a lot of new deposits and open many new accounts.
With better technology, rules and support from the RBI and NABARD, these banks can now serve customers better and help more people get credit.
India’s cooperative banking sector has 1,843 banks, 22 crore customers, ₹13 lakh crore deposits and ₹10.5 lakh crore lending.
The Ministry of Cooperation, led by Amit Shah, created NUCFDC for urban banks and SSPL for rural banks to provide shared digital infrastructure.
The Cooperation among Cooperatives campaign in Gujarat mobilised ₹21,000 crore in new deposits and opened 32 lakh accounts.
Reforms improve governance, cybersecurity, product diversification, with support from RBI and NABARD.
These initiatives aim to strengthen rural and urban credit, deepen financial inclusion and support India’s “Sahakar se Samriddhi” vision.
- Who
- Ministry of Cooperation, Amit Shah, RBI, NABARD, cooperative banks
- What
- Launched NUCFDC and SSPL digital platforms and the Cooperation among Cooperatives campaign
- When
- Since 2021, with the campaign piloted in 2021 and expanded thereafter
- Where
- India, across 34 states and Union Territories, notably Gujarat
- Why
- To overcome regulatory, technological and operational constraints and strengthen rural and urban credit
- Total cooperative banks
- 1,843
- Deposits
- ₹13 lakh crore
- Lending portfolio
- ₹10.5 lakh crore
- Technology umbrella organisations
- NUCFDC and SSPL
- Campaign name
- Cooperation among Cooperatives