Co-operation Department, Kerala


With a particular emphasis on the rural people and means of subsistence, the cooperative sector has been contributing significantly to the state's socio-economic development. In many areas of the Indian economy, including agriculture credit disbursement, fertilizer distribution, agricultural commodity procurement and distribution, consumer activity promotion, health, dairy, fisheries, handlooms, coir, etc., cooperatives have achieved remarkable success through persistent efforts. By mobilizing savings in both urban and rural regions, efforts were undertaken to increase the movement's resources and make it self-sufficient.

The Travancore-Cochin Co-operative Societies Act 1951 went into effect on 1.9.1952 following the unification of Travancore and Cochin. The Kerala Co-operative Societies Act of 1969 went into effect on May 15, 1969, following the creation of Kerala State, with the goal of establishing a consistent cooperative law that would apply to the entire state. Societies with unlimited liability vanished and societies with restricted liability emerged as a result of the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act of 1969. The Kerala Co-operative (Amendment) Act 1999 was subsequently passed by the Kerala government and went into effect on January 1, 2000. The Amendment Act's new provisions include the following: Independent Election Commission, Separate Audit Wing and Vigilance Wing, Co-operative Development and Welfare Fund, Consortium Lending Scheme, Deposit Guaranty Scheme in Primary Agricultural Credit Societies, and Co-operative Examination Board.

Cooperatives

The Department of Co-operation, Government of Kerala, is responsible for the development, regulation, and supervision of the co-operative sector in the state. The co-operative movement in Kerala has shown steady progress and continues to support community development and social well-being. Co-operatives improve the economic conditions of different sections of the population, particularly weaker and marginalised groups in rural areas. Kerala has a massive network of cooperative societies. Co-operative societies are classified based on area of operation, nature of work, authorities, and functions. There were 16,429 co-operative societies in Kerala as on March 31, 2025. Of these, 12,278 societies were functional, while the remaining societies were non functional. The cooperatives are broadly divided into credit and non-credit types. The Credit cooperatives provide financial support and loans to members. The Co-operative Credit structure in Kerala comprises of Kerala Bank, Primary Agricultural Co-operative Society (PACS), Farmers Service Societies (FSS), Kerala State Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank (KSCARDB), and Primary Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs). The Non-Credit Cooperatives focus on production, distribution, and specific welfare services. Consumer Co-operatives, Marketing Co-operatives, Agricultural and Dairy Co-operatives, Housing Co-operatives, Industrial and Processing Co-operatives, Fishery Co-operatives, Labour Contract Co-operatives etc are examples of Non-Credit Cooperatives. Consumer co-operatives form the largest group, with 4,609 societies, of which 3,736 were functioning. Consumer Co-operatives supplies essential and consumer goods to the public at reasonable prices.

Registrar of Co-operative Societies

The Secretariat's Department of Cooperation oversees the Registrar of Cooperative Societies. The Additional Chief Secretary, Cooperation, is in charge of the Department of Cooperation at the secretariat level. Several departments and institutions were established in order to correlate all of the Co-operation Department's work.  The head office is home to a Co-operative Information Bureau, which publishes SahakaranaVeedhi on a monthly basis. The Bureau is headed by the Editor/Press Relations Officer. The employees of the Department of Economics and Statistics work at the Statistical Wing.

The director of cooperative audit, an IAS/IAAS officer, is in charge of the newly established directorate of cooperative audit.  One additional director, one joint director, one deputy director, one assistant director, and seven cooperative society auditors support the director.  All of the state's cooperative institutions are being audited by the Directorate.

To look into any instances of theft, corruption, and significant irregularities in cooperative societies, a cooperative vigilance office is established. The DIG of Police is in charge of it, with assistance from three DYSPs, three C.I.s, and police constables. Alleppy, Thrissur, and Kannur are the locations of its three zonal offices. A Joint Registrar of Co-Operative Societies is overseen by the Office of Co-Operative Vigilance Officer.

The department's two subsidiary bodies are the Co-operative Election Commission, which was established to hold elections in the state's credit cooperative societies, and the Co-operative Arbitration Court, which is presided over by a single officer to hear and resolve all non-monetary issues in the state.

Allied Institutes of Department of Co-operation

• Co-operative Academy of Professional Education

• Co-operative Election Commission

• Co-operative Service Examination Board

• Kerala Hi-Tech Weaving and Garments Co-operative Mills Ltd (KELTEX)

• Kerala State Cashew Workers Apex Industrial Co-operative Society Ltd(CAPEX)

• Kerala State Co-operative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank Ltd

• Kerala State Co-operative Bank

• Kerala State Co-operative Coir Marketing Federation Ltd

• Kerala State Co-operative Consumers' Federation Ltd (CONSUMERFED)

• Kerala State Co-operative Federation for Fisheries Development(MATSYAFED)

• Kerala State Co-operative Marketing Federation Ltd

• Kerala State Handicrafts Appex Co-operative Society Ltd

• Kerala State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society Ltd (HANTEX)

• Kerala State Rural Women Electronics Industrial Co-operative Federation Ltd

• Malabar Co-operative Textiles Ltd

• Regional Agro Development Cooperation Kerala

• State Co-operative Union