Rajasthan Plans New Cooperative Code to Boost Transparency and Growth

Brainstorming Meeting to Draft New Cooperative Code: Provisions to Facilitate Rapid and Automatic Expansion of Cooperatives – Effective Provisions from Other States’ Cooperative Laws to be Included

Jaipur : The Minister of State for Cooperation (Independent Charge), Mr. Gautam Kumar Dak, announced that provisions will be incorporated into the new Cooperative Code to establish transparency in the functioning of cooperative institutions and ensure swift execution of tasks. He stated that the objective is to make cooperatives accessible to all and to guarantee their easy and automatic expansion. No citizen in the state should be deprived of the benefits provided through cooperatives. For this, the cooperative law will include a provision to grant membership within a stipulated timeframe.

During a brainstorming meeting held at the Apex Bank with officials from the Cooperative Department, advocates, and public representatives, the Minister emphasized that cooperative laws of states such as Maharashtra, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Madhya Pradesh are being studied. The goal is to incorporate relevant provisions into Rajasthan’s context for drafting a comprehensive code for cooperative development. He added that measures to establish transparency in the operations of housing cooperative societies and credit cooperative societies were also discussed. Chapters will be added to the Cooperative Code by aligning provisions of related departments with the role of cooperatives.

Mr. Dak further explained that the new Cooperative Code will be based on the fundamental principles of cooperation. Provisions will be revised and expanded to ensure open and voluntary membership, economic participation of members, democratic control by members, cooperative education and training for members and office bearers, and inter-cooperation among cooperative institutions. He has instructed officials to prioritize these principles.

Principal Secretary and Registrar of the Cooperative Department, Mrs. Manju Rajpal, said the focus of the new Cooperative Code is to minimize the execution time and ensure prompt and fair action for members. She also mentioned that help desks will be established at all district units and central cooperative banks to ensure easy access to cooperative services and schemes for the general public.

Mrs. Manju Rajpal emphasized that the new Cooperative Code is being designed to maintain the autonomy of cooperative institutions. Elected representatives will actively participate in decision-making processes, working under the mantra of “All for One, One for All.”