COOP Colloquium 10

Harmonizing Cooperative Legal Frameworks: Insights from Indian Cooperative Laws

23rd August 2024 | Friday

11: 00 AM to 12:00 PM Indian Standard Time (GMT + 5:30)

REGISTER HERE

Background

The International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) Committee on Cooperative Research (CCR) is delighted to announce the 10th academic dialogue on crucial issues related to cooperative education and research.

The COOP Colloquium seeks to bring together diverse perspectives, share valuable insights, and facilitate an enriching exchange within the cooperative community across the Asia and Pacific region. Each iteration of the COOP Colloquium focuses on a theme and presents different perspectives. Digital and social media platforms are used to promote the COOP Colloquium and to have a conversation around cooperative education and research.

The 10th iteration of the COOP Colloquium will focus on the theme ‘Harmonizing Cooperative Legal Frameworks: Insights from Indian Cooperative Laws’.

Cooperative Legislation:

The legislative framework governing cooperatives is pivotal in shaping their growth, development, and operations, transforming community-owned enterprises into viable commercial entities. In India, cooperative legislation has a rich history, with the Cooperative Societies Acts of 1904 and 1912 laying the groundwork for cooperative governance. Over the years, these laws have evolved, particularly as cooperative legislation is a state subject, leading to significant amendments in the 1960s and the enactment of the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act in 1984 to address cooperatives operating across state lines.

Despite these developments, a lack of uniformity in cooperative laws persists due to differing objectives and priorities across states. The 2023 amendment to the MSCS Act, overseen by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) under the Ministry of Cooperation, reflects ongoing efforts to modernize cooperative legislation in response to globalization, industrial transformation, and technological advancements. States have also made strides, such as the 1995 introduction of the Mutually Aided Cooperative Societies (MACS) Act, which offers greater flexibility in cooperative governance. The 97th Constitutional Amendment in 2011 further aimed to enhance transparency and accountability within the cooperative sector.

By identifying areas where cooperative laws can be synchronized, the studies done on cooperative legislation in India propose strategies to remove legal bottlenecks and achieve uniformity across the States/UTs and the MSCS Act. However, these legislative reforms have not fully resolved the challenges facing cooperative laws in India. The changes made in recent times have tried to provide a more supportive framework to the cooperatives in India.

Dr. Sagar Kisan Wadkar who is an Adviser to the National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), New Delhi, will highlight the critical role that cooperative legislation plays in the success of cooperatives and the laws that have been incorporated into the recently amended Multi-State Cooperative Societies Act/Rules 2023 in India to enhance transparency and accountability.  

Registration

We invite participants to join us for the 10th iteration of the COOP Colloquium and engage in an open discussion. Participants are encouraged to register here. Registered participants will receive the joining details on the registered email address immediately after registering. 

About Speaker

Dr. Sagar Kisan Wadkar is an Adviser to the National Cooperative Union of Inida (NCUI), New Delhi, collaborating with the Ministry of Cooperation, Government of India, on policy research. With over ten years of experience in teaching, training, research, and consultancy, he has contributed to esteemed institutions like Vaikunth Metha National institute of Cooperative Management (VAMNICOM), Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), and ICAR- Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). Dr. Wadkar has led national studies for the Government of India, focusing on agribusiness education, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), and cooperative laws. His expertise lies in social entrepreneuship, livelihood analysis, and managing social enterprises and collectives such as cooperatives and self-help groups. He holds a degree in agriculture, a Master's in Agricultural Extension & Communication, and a doctorate in Agricultural Extension Education.