UP CM Yogi Adityanath directed setting up a State Cooperative College to boost education and employment in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, and services. He also reviewed cooperative banking reforms, food storage schemes, and digital payment expansion.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has directed preparations for setting up a State Cooperative College in Uttar Pradesh to promote study, teaching, and research in the cooperative sector. He said cooperatives must become gateways for youth employment in agriculture, dairy, fisheries, and services.
The CM was reviewing the state’s cooperative department in the presence of Union Minister of State for Cooperation Muralidhar Mohol, who lauded UP’s achievements as “exemplary for other states.”
As part of the M-PACS Membership Mahabhiyan (Sept 12–Oct 12), the government aims to connect every farmer-family with cooperatives. In last year’s drive, over 30 lakh new members were enrolled, including 17.33 lakh farmers. Key Highlights from the Review: • Banking Reforms: Since 2017, 16 closed district cooperative banks have been revived with ₹306.92 crore support. NPAs dropped from ₹800 crore (2017) to ₹278 crore (March 2025), with all banks now in profit. • Food Storage Scheme: FCI has identified 96 sites across 35 districts for India’s largest warehousing project, set to be completed by April 2026. • M-PACS Growth: 457 new M-PACS formed this year; 1,088 more in process. Interest-free loans up to ₹10 lakh have enabled a turnover of ₹5,400 crore and margin money of ₹120 crore. • Digital Push: QR/UPI-based payments introduced in 6,101 societies; 6,443 M-PACS upgraded as PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras; 161 societies host Jan Aushadhi Kendras. The CM emphasized that the trust of farmers and depositors is the “real capital” of cooperatives and said the state, under the guidance of Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, is scripting “a new history” in the sector.
The Chief Minister said that in the first membership campaign held in the year 2023, more than 30 lakh new members were added, including 17.33 lakh farmers, 3.92 lakh unskilled workers, 1.56 lakh skilled workers, 2.20 lakh animal husbandry and 6,411 fisheries. A contribution of ₹ 70 crore was received in the cooperative sector from this campaign. The Chief Minister directed that the second Maha Abhiyan should be made more comprehensive and camps, online / offline registration and awareness programs should be organized in every village.
The Union Minister of State for Cooperation said that the achievements of Uttar Pradesh in the field of cooperatives are exemplary for other states and the state is playing a leading role in realizing the vision of the Prime Minister.
While reviewing the cooperative banking reforms in the meeting, it was informed that from 2017-18 to 2024-25, 16 closed district cooperative banks have been revived by the state government with the assistance of ₹ 306.92 crore. The NPA of these banks decreased from ₹ 800 crore in 2017 to ₹ 278 crore in March 2025. By March 2025, loan business of ₹ 1000 crore was recorded and all the banks came into profit.
The Chief Minister said that the trust of farmers and depositors is the real capital of cooperatives, it should be kept safe at all costs. He said that cooperatives are an ancient tradition of Indian rural society. It has a big role in keeping the society united. Under the guidance of Union Home and Cooperative Minister Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh is creating new history in the cooperative sector.
Discussing the progress of the food storage scheme, it was told that FCI has identified 96 sites in 35 districts of the state. The Chief Minister directed that the financial closure process should be completed by November 15, 2025 and construction work should be started from January 2026 and completed by April 2026. He said that warehouse construction is the basis of prosperity of farmers, it should be given top priority.
On this occasion, the formation and functioning of M-PACS was also reviewed in detail. It was told that in the current financial year so far 457 new M-PACS have been formed as compared to 266 M-PACS in 2024-25, while in the month of September, the organization process is going on in 1,088 Gram Panchayats. M-PACs have been given an interest-free loan limit of up to ₹ 10 lakh for fertilizer distribution, from which a turnover of ₹ 5,400 crore and margin money of ₹ 120 crore has been received so far. Similarly, the state government is providing ₹1 lakh margin money and ₹1 lakh for infrastructure development for the upgradation of 757 newly formed M-PACS.
Under the digital payment system, QR/UPI based system has been implemented in 6,101 societies. Also, promoting business diversification, CSC services are being operated in 5170 M-PACS, PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendra in 6443 M-PACS and Pradhan Mantri Jan Aushadhi Kendra in 161 M-PACS. The Chief Minister said that Jan Aushadhi Kendras should be set up near hospitals and cooperatives should be made the gateway to employment opportunities in agriculture, dairy, fisheries and service sectors for the youth.
Cabinet ministers of the state government Surya Prakash Shahi, Dharampal Singh, Sanjay Nishad, Minister of State (Independent Charge) JPS Rathore, Secretary Cooperation of Government of India Dr. Ashish Kumar Bhutani, DGM of NABARD NL Sahu and senior officials of the state government were present in the meeting.