Cooperative movement started in 1904 in the state and country with the objective to provide short-term crop loan to common people especially rural farmers for their economic development. Later, other program such as fertilizers, distribution of seeds, process units/cold storage, distribution of consumer goods, long-term loans, labour organization, dairy development, sugar cane industry, housing, handloom development etc. were also started through cooperative societies. Due to expansion of cooper...

Cooperative movement started in 1904 in the state and country with the objective to provide short-term crop loan to common people especially rural farmers for their economic development. Later, other program such as fertilizers, distribution of seeds, process units/cold storage, distribution of consumer goods, long-term loans, labour organization, dairy development, sugar cane industry, housing, handloom development etc. were also started through cooperative societies. Due to expansion of cooperative movement/programs, the power of Registrar, Cooperative Societies has been delegated to the officers of 9 other departments, viz., Sugarcane, Industry, Khadi and Village Industry, Housing, Milk, Handloom, Fishery, Silk and Horticulture. The cooperative societies are managed by representatives elected in democratic manner which promote people’s participation. Uttar Pradesh Cooperative and Village Development Bank provides long-term loans for agriculture and non-agriculture sector through its branches. Urban Cooperative Banks of the State provide consumer loan, housing loan, vehicle loan and business loan in their area of operation. To save the farmers from the exploitation of middleman, wheat and paddy are purchased by the cooperative societies under price support program of state government. Additional storage capacity is being created to enhance the present storage capacity of cooperative societies. A total of 43,362 cooperative societies are registered in 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh with membership of 1,84,64,158 members. Lucknow, Agra and Prayagraj districts have the highest number of societies viz. 1543, 1490 and 1468 respectively. Dairy sector is the largest sector constituting of 41.17% (17,852) cooperatives. It is followed by PACS which constitute 17.39% (7541) cooperatives. Notably, 50.84% (93,87,212) of the total membersare engaged in PACS. 77.51% (33,609) of the societies are working in rural areas. Though PACS constitute 17.39% of the cooperatives, their Gram Panchayat coverage is extensive (96.16%). Dairy cooperatives cover 27.01% of the Gram Panchayats. Majority of the PACS 5414 are affiliated with Federations/ Unions