Nagaland’s new Cooperative Policy targets PACS in every panchayat, digitalisation, Model Cooperative Villages and expansion into emerging sectors
KOHIMA — Nagaland’s new Cooperative Policy has set a target of establishing at least one Primary Agricultural Credit Society (PACS) in every panchayat, while proposing a Model Cooperative Village in each district and 100% computerisation of functional PACS.
The Nagaland Cooperative Policy 2026, formulated by the Department of Cooperation and presented in the State Assembly by Minister of Cooperation and PHED Jacob Zhimomi, seeks to make cooperatives a key driver of grassroots economic development, financial inclusion and employment through 2046.
The policy also envisages expanding cooperatives beyond traditional activities into areas such as healthcare, retail, renewable energy, waste management, transport and other emerging sectors, while promoting Naga products in national and international markets.
Under the grassroots expansion plan, the government proposes strengthening PACS and other primary cooperatives and making them implementing agencies for government schemes. It also proposes establishing multipurpose PACS, dairy and fisheries cooperatives in uncovered panchayats.
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Each district is proposed to develop at least one Model Cooperative Village, centred around a multipurpose PACS or cooperative society. These cooperatives are expected to support activities ranging from credit and input supply to aggregation, processing, marketing and other services.
The policy identifies Naga products including chillies, large cardamom, indigenous rice varieties, fruits, honey, bamboo products, medicinal and aromatic plants, mushrooms, floriculture, poultry and piggery products for development through cooperative-led economic clusters.
It also calls for greater use of Geographical Indications (GI), intellectual property rights and trademarks to protect indigenous products and traditional knowledge, along with promotion through e-commerce, cooperative marts and institutional buyers.
To improve local self-reliance, the policy proposes increased production of pulses, oilseeds and maize suited to Nagaland’s agro-climatic conditions. It also seeks to strengthen dairy, piggery, poultry and fisheries cooperatives and promote organic produce through certification, traceability and branding.
The policy targets the digital transformation of the cooperative sector, with 100% computerisation of functional PACS and priority primary cooperatives. The National Level PACS Software/ERP is proposed for accounting, loan operations, procurement, marketing and member services.
A Nagaland Cooperative Digital Platform is also proposed to integrate with the National Cooperative Database and relevant state databases, while providing real-time monitoring and dashboards.
The policy further proposes minimum qualification and competency standards for cooperative managers, with larger societies encouraged to appoint full-time professional CEOs, IT-skilled personnel and sector-specific experts.
Women and youth
The policy places special emphasis on increasing the participation of women, youth, small and marginal farmers and weaker sections in cooperatives.
It proposes measures to increase women’s membership and participation in decision-making, while encouraging the induction of young and qualified manpower.
Cooperative education is also proposed in school curricula, along with awareness programmes and youth leadership initiatives.
Universities and other higher education institutions are encouraged to offer courses and electives covering cooperative management, law, finance, auditing and digital operations. Internships for graduates in fields including agriculture, management, law, IT and rural development are also proposed.
New sectors
The policy encourages eligible cooperatives to diversify into areas such as PM Jan Aushadhi Kendras, Common Service Centres, Fair Price Shops, LPG distributorships, petrol and diesel retail outlets, PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras and rural retail.
Other proposed areas include micro-insurance, renewable energy, health, education, waste management, transportation, biogas and app-based aggregator services such as taxi and household-service cooperatives.
It also promotes climate-resilient agriculture, agroforestry and natural farming, with dairy, piggery, poultry and livestock cooperatives encouraged to establish decentralised biogas and bio-resource units.
A State-level Cooperative Sector Task Force is proposed to prepare a 10-year roadmap for expanding cooperative coverage and increasing the sector’s contribution to the State economy.
At the implementation level, a State Cooperative Policy Steering Committee chaired by the Cooperation minister will oversee overall guidance and coordination, supported by an Implementation Cell in the department. District Cooperative Committees chaired by Deputy Commissioners will coordinate activities at the district level.
The policy will come into effect from the date of its notification and remain in force until 2046, with a review every five years and mid-course corrections based on evidence and stakeholder consultations.
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