Cooperatives in the Budget – Focus on Capacity Building and Strengthening the Ecosystem
The Union Budget for 2026–27 has been presented against the backdrop of heightened global uncertainties affecting trade and multilateralism, while also opening avenues through bilateral engagements. In this context, the Budget focuses on building resilience to volatile global dynamics. It aims to strengthen the ecosystem to accelerate and sustain economic growth, enabling the country to withstand challenges and seize emerging opportunities.
Union Budget 2026: Cooperative Sector in India is More Visible Than Before
Prior to the presentation of the Union Budget, the Finance Minister tabled the Economic Survey 2025–26 in Parliament on 29 January 2026. Despite global geopolitical tensions, trade disruptions, and inflationary pressures, India’s First Advance Estimates project real GDP growth at 7.4% and GVA growth at 7.3% for FY 2026.
UNION BUDGET 2026-27: Absence of Explicit Budget proposals for Rural Cooperative Banks Is Not Very Inspiring
The Union Budget 2026-27, based on and inspired by 3 kartavyas, was presented on 1st February 2026 by Hon’ble Finance Minister of India Nirmala Sitharaman. In order to address these three kartavyas, a threefold approach as supportive ecosystem has been adopted.
Budget 2026-27 Empowers Cooperatives to Professionalize, Expand Markets, and Increase Farmers’ Income; Dr. K. K. Tripathy
The Budget envisages promoting entrepreneurship, value addition, and collective resource management. It also empowers cooperatives to professionalize operations, expand markets, and increase farmer incomes. A framework has been suggested for resilient, integrated cooperative networks rather than fragmented entities.
Union Budget 2026-27; A Decisive Shift From Symbolic Support to Structural Empowerment of Cooperatives
Yes—Union Budget 2026–27 marks a decisive shift from symbolic support to structural empowerment of cooperatives.
For the first time, the Union Budget is not just allocating funds to cooperatives; it is redesigning incentives, taxation, and institutions in a way that aligns with the National Cooperation Policy 2025, which calls cooperatives the second engine of India’s growth.
The most important signal is this:
The Budget rewards cooperatives when value flows to members.
Union Budget 2026: India Has Declared Cooperatives as the Second Engine — Now Fuel Them Like One
For the first time in independent India, something fundamentally important has changed. Cooperatives are no longer invisible.
The creation of the Ministry of Cooperation, the rollout of the National Cooperation Policy 2025, the revival of PACS, their computerisation, the formation of NCEL, NCOL, BBSSL, Bhart Taxi and focused schemes like Ayushman Sahakar, Sehkar Sarthi have sent a strong and unambiguous signal
The Union Budget Must Reflect the National Cooperation Policy 2025
In conversation with K.K. Ravindran, Managing Director, National Cooperative Agriculture & Rural Development Banks’ Federation Ltd.
Beyond Fiscal Numbers: What the Union Budget Must Do to Strengthen Public Institutions
In conversation with Professor Umakant Dash, Vice Chancellor, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics
Union Budget 2026-27 Must Focus on Execution to Prevent National Cooperative Policy from Becoming Redundant
In conversation with Bhima Subrahmanyam, Managing Director and CEO of the National Federation of State Cooperative Banks (NAFSCOB) and President of the International Cooperative Banking Association (ICBA).
Cooperative Credit for Agriculture Sector : Some Issues from RBI Report
The ‘Report on Trends and Progress of Banking in India, 2024-25’ has been published by Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently. Happily, the Report has devoted a full chapter on various aspects of the Cooperative Banks that includes the Urban Cooperative Banks (UCBs) and the Rural Credit Cooperatives (RCCs).