Content

1. National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
2. Agricultural Education & Training in India

National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)

Why in News ?

• Rs. 49,799.06 crore disbursed by NCDC as of October 2025 (FY 2025–26).
• Rs. 95,182.88 crore disbursed in FY 2024–25 — a 16.5× rise from Rs. 5,735.51 crore in FY 2014–15.
• New Central Sector “Grant-in-Aid to NCDC Scheme” (2025–29) approved —₹2,000 crore outlay, leveraging ₹20,000 crore market funding.
• Launch of National Cooperation Policy 2025, aligning with Viksit Bharat 2047 and Sahkar se Samriddhi vision.

Relevance :

• GS-3 (Economy): Strengthens cooperative-based rural credit, enterprise formation, and value chains; aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat & Viksit Bharat 2047.
• GS-2 (Governance): Implements National Cooperation Policy 2025 for transparency, professionalism & digital cooperatives.
• GS-3 (Inclusive Growth): Focus on SC/ST/Women cooperatives, job creation, and decentralized development through “Sahkar se Samriddhi.”
• GS-3 (Agriculture): Expands financing for dairy, fisheries, sugar, and allied sectors via modernized cooperative structures.

NCDC – The Backbone of India’s Cooperative Economy

• Statutory body, established in 1963 under the National Cooperative Development Corporation Act, 1962.
• Administrative Ministry: Ministry of Cooperation.
• Mandate: Promote, strengthen & develop cooperatives in agriculture, allied, and non-farm sectors via financial & technical support.

Key Objectives

• Financing cooperatives in production, processing, storage, marketing, cold chains, and input supply.
• Supporting non-farm cooperative activities – dairy, poultry, fishery, handloom, SC/ST & women cooperatives.
• Strengthening value chains & post-harvest infrastructure for rural development.

India’s Cooperative Landscape

• Total cooperatives: 8.44 lakh
• Membership: >30 crore individuals
• Farmer linkage: 94% of Indian farmers associated with cooperatives (credit, dairy, sugar, etc.)
• Economic sectors: Credit, sugar, dairy, fertilizers, textiles, marketing, housing, fishery, handicrafts.

NCDC’s Financial Growth

Sectoral Focus

• Sugar sector: ₹33,311.79 crore cumulative (as of Mar 2025)
• Women cooperatives: ₹4,823.68 crore (FY 2021–25)
• SC/ST cooperatives: ₹57.78 crore (FY 2021–25)

Flagship Schemes of NCDC

Yuva Sahakar (2019–20)

• Promotes start-up cooperatives and innovation-driven youth entrepreneurship.
• Focus: Aspirational districts, NER, women, SC/ST/PwD cooperatives.
• Support: Cooperative Start-up & Innovation Fund.
• Performance:
  • 32 cooperatives supported
  • ₹49.35 crore sanctioned; ₹3.71 crore released

Ayushman Sahakar (2020–21)

• Cooperative model for holistic healthcare and AYUSH promotion.
• Supports hospital infrastructure, digital health, and health education.
• Performance (till FY 2024–25):
  • 9 cooperatives
  • ₹161.90 crore sanctioned; ₹43.19 crore released

Dairy Sahakar (2021–22)

• Strengthens dairy cooperatives; covers procurement, processing, value addition, export.
• Also supports ICT, renewable energy, R&D, veterinary services.
• Performance:
  • 16 cooperatives
  • ₹162.28 crore sanctioned; ₹177.72 crore released

Digital Sahakar (2021–22)

• Aligns with DigitalIndia.
• Promotes digitally enabled cooperatives, improved credit access, transparency, and integration with e-governance schemes.
• Eligible entities: Cooperatives, FPOs, FFPOs, SHG federations.

Deerghavadhi Krishak Punji Sahakar Yojana (2022–23)

• Long-term capital support for agricultural credit cooperatives.
• Targets PACS, DCCBs, StCBs, PCARDBs, SCARDBs.
• Performance:
  • 5 cooperatives
  • ₹5,400.76 crore sanctioned; ₹2,137 crore released

Women-centric Schemes

Swayam Shakti Sahakar Yojana (2022–23)

• Extends loans via cooperative banks to Women SHGs & federations for rural enterprise creation.

Nandini Sahakar (2020–21)

• Empowers women-led cooperatives via business planning, credit, and training.
• Performance (FY 2021–25):
  • 34 cooperatives assisted
  • ₹6,283.71 crore sanctioned; ₹4,823.68 crore released
  • ₹2.37 crore for infrastructure (2022–25)

Cooperative Sugar Mills Assistance

• Grant-in-Aid Scheme: ₹1,000 crore (2022–23 to 2024–25)
• Enables loans up to ₹10,000 crore for ethanol/cogeneration plants & working capital.
• Funding pattern revised: 90:10 (society: NCDC).
• Interest: 8.5% term loan rate.
• Outcome: ₹10,005 crore to 56 sugar mills.

Recent Developments

Grant-in-Aid Scheme (2025–26 to 2028–29)

• Outlay: ₹2,000 crore (₹500 crore annually).
• Leverage potential: ₹20,000 crore from open market.
• Coverage: ~13,288 cooperatives; 2.9 crore members.
• Target sectors: Dairy, fisheries, textiles, sugar, storage, women cooperatives, etc.

National Cooperation Policy (NCP) 2025

• Vision: “Sahkar se Samriddhi” – cooperatives as drivers of Viksit Bharat 2047.
• Focus areas:
  • Legal reforms for transparency and professionalism
  • Technology-driven and market-linked cooperatives
  • Collaboration with IFFCO, NAFED, KRIBHCO, AMUL, NDDB, NCEL & NABARD
  • Promoting “Cooperation among Cooperatives” model

Significance & Impact

Economic Impact

• Enhances rural credit and enterprise formation.
• Boosts value-added agriculture and farm-to-market linkages.
• Generates employment and local entrepreneurship.

Social Impact

• Empowers marginalized groups (SC/ST/Women) through inclusive finance.
• Strengthens social capital via participatory governance.

Strategic Impact

• Reduces dependence on state subsidies by fostering self-sustaining cooperatives.
• Aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat and Vocal for Local missions.

Critical Analysis

Way Forward

• Uniform Cooperative Legal Framework across states for ease of operation.
• Stronger credit monitoring to reduce NPAs in cooperative banks.
• Skill & capacity building through cooperative training institutes.
• Technology infusion: Blockchain, AI-driven traceability, digital payments.
• Women & youth-focused financial instruments for social inclusion.

Conclusion

The National Cooperative Development Corporation has emerged as a key financial and institutional pillar of India’s cooperative resurgence. With record disbursements, targeted social schemes, and integration under National Cooperation Policy 2025, NCDC is central to realizing a “Self-reliant and Inclusive Cooperative India” by 2047. Its sustained focus on credit expansion, inclusivity, and modernization positions cooperatives as engines of rural prosperity and equitable growth.

Agricultural Education & Training in India

Why in News ?

• PIB release highlights India’s integrated approach toward agricultural education, research, and farmer training under the vision “One Nation – One Agriculture – One Team.”
• Focus: Strengthening agricultural human capital, digital technologies (AI, IoT), and farmer skilling to achieve “Viksit Krishi aur Samruddh Kisan” — a pillar of Viksit Bharat 2047.

Relevance :

• GS-2 (Education & Governance): Strengthens institutional capacity through ICAR, CAUs, KVKs; aligns with NEP 2020 and DARE-led reforms.
• GS-3 (Agriculture): Integrates AI, IoT, and digital skilling for climate-smart, precision-based agriculture.
• GS-3 (Science & Tech): Promotes AgriTech innovation via Technology Innovation Hubs and startup incubation under RKVY.
• GS-3 (Rural Development): Enhances farmer training, mechanization, and human capital for “Viksit Krishi aur Samruddh Kisan.”

Importance of Agricultural Education

• Economic significance: Agriculture supports ~50% of India’s work force and contributes ~18% of GDP.
• Objective: Build a scientifically trained, tech-enabled workforce for 5% annual agri growth.
• Three Pillars: Education, Research, and Extension — interlinked to raise productivity, reduce costs, and enhance sustainability.

Institutional Framework — ICAR System

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

• Established: 1929; under Department of Agricultural Research & Education (DARE), MoA&FW.
• Mandate: Apex body for agricultural education, research, and extension.
• Network:
  • 113 National Research Institutes
  • 74 Agricultural Universities (State, Central, Deemed, and ICAR-affiliated)
  • 731 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) — frontline extension units.
• Major Achievements:
  • Led the Green Revolution; now drives climate-resilient crop and livestock innovations.
  • ICAR Model Act (Revised 2023): Standardized academic & governance norms.
  • Accreditation: Through National Agricultural Education Accreditation Board (NAEAB).

University Ecosystem in Agriculture

Central Agricultural Universities — Regional Impact

• (a) Dr. Rajendra Prasad CAU, Pusa (Bihar)
  • Converted from State Univ. (2016); 8 constituent colleges, 18 KVKs.
  • Offers UG, PG, PhD + short-term industry-linked diplomas.
  • Focus: Eastern India agrarian upliftment.

• (b) CAU, Imphal (Manipur)
  • Established 1993; serves 7 NE hill states.
  • 13 constituent colleges, 10 UG + 48 PG + 34 PhD programs.
  • Enrolment 2024–25: 2,982 students.

• (c) Rani Lakshmi Bai CAU, Jhansi (UP)
  • Established 2014; national importance.
  • Focus: Dryland farming, veterinary, horticulture, agri-engineering.
  • Colleges across UP & MP.

Digital & Technological Transformation

AI & IoT in Agriculture

• Applications: Precision farming (smart irrigation, pest prediction, drone spraying, livestock monitoring).
• Innovation Hubs:
  • 25 Technology Innovation Hubs (TIHs) under DST’s NM-ICPS (2022).
  • IIT Ropar (IoT for saffron), IIT Bombay (IoE Hub), IIT Kharagpur (AI4ICPS).
• Digital Centres:
  • IoT Centres of Excellence — Bengaluru, Gurugram, Gandhinagar, Visakhapatnam (AgriTech hub).
• e-Governance Plan for Agriculture: States funded to deploy AI/ML, IoT, blockchain solutions.
• Start-up Promotion (RKVY-Agripreneurship):
  • Launched 2018–19.
  • Supports startups in agro-processing, AI, IoT, blockchain, food tech.

Farmer Skilling & Vocational Training

(a) Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)

• Frontline ICAR training units.
• Farmers trained:
  • 2021–22 to 2023–24 → 58.02 lakh
  • Apr–Oct 2024–25 → 18.56 lakh
• Focus: Agronomy, livestock, soil health, post-harvest tech.

(b) ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency)

• Decentralised extension scheme.
• Farmers trained:
  • 2021–22: 32.38 lakh
  • 2022–23: 40.11 lakh
  • 2023–24: 36.60 lakh
  • Jan 2025 cumulative: 1.27 crore
• Focus: Integrated local training + agri-business linkages.

(c) Skill Training of Rural Youth (STRY)

• Short-term (7-day) vocational training in horticulture, dairy, fisheries.
• Trained:
  • 2021–22: 10,456
  • 2022–23: 11,634
  • 2023–24: 20,940
  • Total till Dec 2024 → ~51,000 rural youth.

(d) Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)

• Promotes mechanization via training/demonstrations.
• Farmers trained (2021–25): 57,139
• Focus: Efficient machinery use, custom hiring.

(e) Soil Health Card Scheme

• Promotes balanced nutrient management.
• By July 2025:
  • 25.17 crore cards issued,
  • 93,000+ trainings, 6.8 lakh demonstrations.

(f) Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

• >10,000 FPOs registered.
• Trained in business management, digital marketing, and collective procurement.

Emerging Trends

• Shift from degree-centric to skill-centric and tech-based learning.
• NEP 2020 integration: Multi-disciplinary courses, short-term diplomas, employability focus.
• PPP in agri-education: Rise of private colleges and industry-academia linkages.
• Digital inclusion: Smart classrooms, agri-data platforms, AI-based curricula.

Challenges

• Regional disparities in institutional capacity (esp. Eastern & NE India).
• Low employability among graduates due to theoretical-heavy curricula.
• Need for AI-ready, climate-smart pedagogy.
• Limited private investment in agricultural R&D.

Policy Implications

• Strengthen synergy of ICAR–SAUs–KVKs–ATMA–FPOs.
• Institutionalize agri-tech incubation and digital learning ecosystems.
• Expand international collaborations for advanced agri-research.
• Align education reforms with Viksit Bharat 2047 agricultural goals.

Conclusion

• India’s agricultural education ecosystem — 113 ICAR institutes, 74 universities, 731 KVKs, 1.27 crore farmers trained (2021–25) — reflects a robust national capacity-building effort.
• Integration of AI, IoT, start-ups, and skilling is bridging research-to-field gaps.
• As agriculture evolves from subsistence to knowledge-driven enterprise, the synergy between education, research, and farmer training will determine India’s agri-future and rural prosperity.