Legislation governing multi-state cooperative societies set for big change

The three brand new cooperatives to promote indigenous seeds, organic farming, and exports of goods made by coops are being formed under an Act, which itself is undergoing multiple changes.

The Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, under which the three new co-ops are being formed was last amended in 2002.

It is the mother act that governs the functioning of over 1,600 MSCS across the country. MSCS are those that serve the interest of members in more than one state.

India, at present, has around 800,000 cooperative societies, of which around 1,600 are MSCS.

Of this, according to some reports,