- 13+ digital services launched under Sahakar Sarathi to power rural banking
- Cooperative Taxi platform set to become India’s largest driver-owned fleet
- PACS to be established in every Panchayat to boost cooperative GDP share
- Summit aims to reshape rural economy through technology, circular economy and grassroots empowerment
NE BUSINESS BUREAU
GANDHINAGAR, DEC 6
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah on Friday inaugurated the Earth Summit 2025 at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar, launching more than 13 digital services and platforms under Sahakar Sarathi. The new suite includes Digi KCC, Cooperative Governance Index, ePACS, World’s Largest Grain Storage Application, Shiksha Sarathi, Sarathi Technology Forum, Website Sarathi and multiple rural-technology tools.
Top dignitaries present included Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Assembly Speaker Shankarbhai Chaudhary, Agriculture & Cooperation Minister Jitu Vaghani, Deputy Speaker and NAFED Chairman Jethabhai Ahir, Cooperation Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani, Gujarat State Cooperative Bank Chairman Ajay Patel, and NABARD Chairman Shaji K V.
“Earth Summit is shaping a new economic direction for rural India”
Amit Shah said the Earth Summit series—three national summits—aims to strengthen and redesign India’s rural development framework. The final summit in Delhi next year will release a consolidated rural policy roadmap.
He emphasised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has revived Gandhiji’s Gram Swaraj philosophy by placing villages at the heart of national development. Agriculture, animal husbandry and cooperatives—long neglected—are now central pillars of India’s rural transformation.
PACS in every Panchayat; cooperative sector to triple its GDP contribution
Shah announced that a cooperative institution will be set up in every Panchayat, creating over 50 crore active cooperative members. This expansion aims to significantly increase the cooperative sector’s GDP share, ensuring benefits reach small farmers and rural women engaged in dairy and allied livelihoods.
Gujarat’s cooperative banking model to be scaled nationally
He said Gujarat’s “Cooperation Among Cooperatives” framework has generated thousands of crores in low-cost deposits, with all cooperative bodies banking exclusively with cooperative banks. This has started increasing the credit capacity of the cooperative sector fivefold, a model now being replicated nationwide.
A concrete plan is being drawn to fully utilise Priority Sector Lending potential using the Banaskantha model.
Sahakar Sarathi: Digital backbone for India’s rural banking
Shah stressed that cooperatives cannot grow without technology. Smaller cooperatives lacked digital infrastructure—now solved through NABARD’s 13+ digital services under Sahakar Sarathi.
All district central, state, agricultural and urban cooperative banks will now come under one technology umbrella with:
• Tech-enabled KYC, recovery and disbursement
• Unified documentation and appraisal systems
• Real-time transaction tracking
• Website creation and digital banking tools
He added that with RBI support, a stronger cooperative banking architecture is emerging. e-KCC holders will soon enjoy facilities equivalent to global credit card systems.
Boost to organic farming, circular economy and exports
Highlighting the rapid rise of organic agriculture, Shah said 49 lakh farmers are producing certified organic goods, with 40+ organic products online. A national laboratory network with Bharat Organics and Amul will enhance testing and global export readiness.
He noted Gujarat’s successful circular economy model in dairy, which ensures value addition stays with farmers—a model that will now be implemented nationwide.
Sahakar Taxi to become India’s largest cooperative-owned taxi network
Shah announced the nationwide launch of Sahakar Taxi, where over 51,000 drivers have already registered in the trial phase. In the coming years, it is expected to become India’s largest cooperative taxi enterprise.
Cooperative Insurance to cover health, life, agriculture and accidents
A comprehensive Cooperative Insurance system will soon be launched, covering health, life, agriculture and accidental insurance under the cooperative framework.
“Cooperation is a Kalpavriksha for rural India”
Shah described cooperation as a Kalpavriksha—a tree of prosperity rooted in public welfare and essential to India’s rural economy involving agriculture, fisheries, animal husbandry and dairy.
He expressed confidence that the Earth Summit’s deliberations will create a strong, actionable framework to drive India’s rural development for the coming decades.
