Geospatial Mapping of the Cooperatives

Context: Recently, a national database on cooperatives has been initiated by the Ministry of Cooperation for single-point access to information on cooperatives of different sectors and to develop a process for better understanding of cooperatives.

Key Highlights:

• In the first phase of development of the National Cooperative Database, data collection of cooperatives of three sectors – primary agricultural credit societies, dairy and fisheries – is being taken up.
• Maharashtra has the highest number of cooperative societies, followed by Uttar Pradesh.

About Geospatial data Infrastructure:

• A Spatial Data Infrastructure, also called geospatial data infrastructure, is a data infrastructure implementing a framework of geographic data, metadata, users and tools that are interactively connected in order to use spatial data in an efficient and flexible way.

About Cooperative society:

• Cooperatives are organizations formed at the grassroots level by people to harness the power of collective bargaining in the marketplace.
• This can mean different kinds of arrangements, such as using a common resource or sharing capital, to derive a common gain that would otherwise be difficult for an individual producer to get.
• Amul is perhaps the best-known cooperative society in India.
• On July 6, 2021, the government carved out a separate Cooperation Ministry.

Constitutional Provision:

• Cooperatives are a state subject in seventh schedule of the Indian Constitution.
• However, there are many societies whose members and areas of operation are spread across more than one state.
• g. most sugar mills along the districts on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border procure cane from both states.
• Through the 97th constitutional amendment, Part IXB (The Co-Operative Societies) was inserted into the Constitution.
• The right to form cooperative societies was included as Right to Freedom under article 19 (1) under part III of the Indian Constitution.
• Article 43-B (Promotion of Cooperation societies) was inserted as one of the Directive principles of state policy.

Report of the Geospatial Infrastructure in India:

• National Geospatial Policy 2022 provides the framework to develop geospatial infrastructure, skills and knowledge, standards and businesses.
• By 2030, the government will look to establish an Integrated Data and Information Framework, under which a Geospatial Knowledge Infrastructure will be developed.
• A high-resolution topographical survey and mapping as well as a high-accuracy Digital Elevation Model for the entire country will be developed by 2035.
• The national database for cooperatives needs to have geospatial database creation with geo-referencing of cooperative societies to make a decision-support model.

Significance of Geospatial Mapping of Cooperative Societies:

• Understanding of the Heterogeneity and Diversity: The cooperative movement is all set for acceleration of membership.
  • The plan of acceleration requires an understanding of the heterogeneity and diversity in spatial distribution.
• Analyzing the Polarisation of Cooperatives: The distribution of cooperative societies reflects polarization of societies in a few States in the west and south while the number of cooperative societies in the east and northern parts is low.
  • Geospatial mapping of these cooperatives will help to analyze the reason for such polarization.
• District-wise mapping of cooperatives: District-wise mapping of cooperatives along with database collection is essential to provide a more precise picture of cooperatives at the State and national levels.
  • The advanced geospatial tools and technologies will help in predicting, analyzing, modelling, and visualizing spatially explicit information.
• Understanding the Contrasting Diversities: Some contrasts are seen like nil dairy cooperatives in the North-East States of Manipur, Nagaland, Mizoram, Meghalaya, while Sikkim is better positioned.
• Fisheries cooperatives are also formed around inland water resources in contrast to coastal lines in the western and eastern parts of the country.
• It is essential to map these contrasting diversities and analyze the reasons, which could be the resource base of the State.
• It is essential to undertake research on the major parameters that contribute to the development of such societies and their distribution in specific regions.

Way Forward:

• Thematic GIS mapping along with research and analysis of the distribution of cooperative societies is to be committed towards addressing the developmental issues at the grassroots level.
• The proposed database shall facilitate all stakeholders in policy-making and implementation to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country.

The geospatial mapping of the cooperative ecosystem will generate ease of doing business outcomes and the potential to be utilized to conduct in-depth mapping and analysis which will be of immense help to planners, managers and administrators in quickly storing, retrieving and updating the required information for the management of cooperatives.

Source:  The Hindu

Previous Year Questions

Q.1) With reference to Urban Cooperative Banks in India, consider the following statements:

1. They are supervised and regulated by local boards set up by the State Governments.
2. They can issue equity shares and preference shares.
3. They were brought under the purview of the Banking Regulation Act, 1949 through an Amendment in 1996

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2021)

1. 1 only
2. 2 and 3 only
3. 1 and 3 only
4. 1, 2 and 3

Q.2) Consider the following statements:

1. In terms of short-term credit delivery to the agriculture sector, District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) deliver more credit in comparison to Scheduled Commercial Banks and Regional Rural Banks.
2. One of the most important functions of DCCBs is to provide funds to the Primary Agricultural Credit Societies.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct? (2020)

1. 1 only
2. 2 only
3. Both 1 and 2
4. Neither 1 nor 2