Sans cooperative week celebrations in Telangana state, coinciding with the fifth anniversary of the formation of the Ministry of Cooperation
HYDERABAD, JUNE 29, 2026: Even as the Union Ministry of Cooperation is celebrating its fifth anniversary through nationwide celebrations from June 29 to July 6 under the theme of ‘Sahkar Se Samriddhi’ (Prosperity through Cooperation), the Telangana state Cooperative sector is in doldrums due to the non-availability of the chairpersons for all nine District Cooperative Central Banks (DCCBs).
The cooperative elections were last conducted in the year 2019, and the term of the elected cooperatives expired in 2024. Later, the Telangana government had extended the term of the DCCBs and PACS for six months on two occasions. Suddenly, the government had issued GO number 598 dated December 19, 2025, appointing the Commissioner for Cooperation and Registrar of Cooperative Societies as the official person in charge (PIC) of Telangana State Cooperative Apex Bank (TGSCAB) and the respective district Collectors as the PICs of the nine DCCBs in the state.
The appointments of PICs were made for a period of six months or till the conduct of elections, shocking the DCCBs and forcing their derailment. After the appointment of the PICs to the DCCBs, the administration and the regular activities, such as loaning to farmers, entrepreneurs, students, policy decisions, business development, opening of new branches and other issues that come under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act.
Several DCCBs were forced to wait for several days for the clearance of regular files, such as loans and other issues from the PICs, due to the hectic schedule of the respective district administration works. However, the PICs term also concluded on June 18, 2026, and the government had not taken any decision about the continuation of the PICs, or the conduct of elections or appointment of chairpersons for DCCBs and PACs.
The government created a Ministry of Cooperation to boost the Indian cooperative movement and give a fillip to indigenous enterprise. As part of its fifth anniversary celebrations, the government had informed the cooperatives to conduct various awareness programmes from the village to district level and state level. It had also announced thematic days such as July 1: Farmer Pride Day, July 2: Artificial Intelligence Awareness, July 3: Cooperation Seminars in colleges targeting youth engagement and July 4: Green Cooperation Day featuring tree plantation drives. The celebrations would conclude on June 6, coinciding with International Cooperative Day.
However, due to the non-availability of chairpersons or PICs, the DCCBs or PACS are unable to make any decision to conduct the cooperative week celebrations. It is high time for the Telangana government to take a firm decision on the conduct of elections for cooperatives or nominate the chairpersons for the strengthening of the cooperatives from the grassroots level.
About the Author
