'Cooperative movement needed'
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, September 22 2026: The cooperative movement in Manipur needs greater participation from young people and women to remain relevant and create new livelihood opportunities, Registrar of Cooperative Societies, W Ibohal said during the 15th session of the "Meet the Press" programme held today at the auditorium of DIPR .

He said the cooperative sector should not be seen only as a traditional system of rural credit, but rather as a platform with ample opportunities ranging from employment, entrepreneurship, access to finance and collective business activities.

'Cooperative movement needed'

With changing technology and markets, the cooperative sector can become platforms through which young people can start businesses, work together, access Government schemes and find new livelihood opportunities.

Manipur now has 11,659 registered cooperative societies with around 8,20,835 lakh members.

Of these, 5,337 societies are functioning while 6,322 are non-functioning, he added.

Ibohal said the Department is focusing on the revival and strengthening of cooperative institutions so that they can serve their members and local communities more effectively.

He said cooperatives can help people pool resources, access institutional finance and reach markets collectively.

He also highlighted the financial assistance being provided to cooperative societies.

The Department has extended Rs 20 lakh in assistance, including Rs 18 lakh to 36 Primary Multipurpose Rural Cooperative Societies, with Rs 50,000 each going to 18 valley and 18 hill societies.

Another Rs 2 lakh has been provided to the Manipur State Handloom Weavers' Cooperative Society Ltd., the State's apex handloom cooperative, he said.

The Registrar pointed out that financial assistance by itself cannot ensure the success of a cooperative.

Active participation of members, proper management and new ideas are equally important.

He particularly stressed the need to bring more young people and women into the cooperative movement.

Pisciculture was another major area highlighted during the briefing.

Under the Central Sector Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation (CSISAC), the National Cooperative Development Corporation has sanctioned Rs 36.3565 crore for pisciculture projects in Imphal East, Imphal West, Kakching and Bishnupur, he said .

The assistance comprises a Rs 26.789-crore loan and Rs 9.5675 crore subsidy.

The projects include new and renovated ponds, hatchery units, ice plants, cold storage facilities and refrigerated vehicles, he said.

A total of 167 cooperative societies had benefited from the pisciculture projects, including 9 societies in Imphal East, 46 in Imphal West, 29 in Kakching and 83 in Bishnupur, Ibohal said.

He said such projects could provide livelihood opportunities for people interested in fisheries and related activities.

By working collectively, he said, members can also overcome some of the difficulties involved in arranging finance, infrastructure and market access individually.

The Registrar also spoke about the Department's move towards digitalisation of cooperative services.

Computerisation of the offices of the Registrar of Cooperative Societies is being implemented under the Centrally Sponsored Project "Strengthening Cooperatives Through IT Interventions" .

The system will enable services including registration, audit, inspection, inquiry, amendment of bye-laws, e-payment, elections, appeals, liquidation and revival of societies to be handled digitally in making services simpler and more accessible while reducing dependence on paperwork and manual processes, he explained.

The Registrar further said the Department is working on the computerisation of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) and their integration with the National Cooperative Database.