Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Apr 30: The Government of Goa has launched the Goa State Cooperative Policy 2026, aiming to strengthen the cooperative sector through reforms, improved governance, and enhanced collaboration across institutions.

The policy was unveiled by Cooperation Minister Subhash Shirodkar in the presence of Narendra Sawaikar, Commissioner for NRI Affairs and Chairman of the State Cooperation Policy, along with other senior officials.

As part of the rollout, the Department of Cooperation signed Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with key institutions, including the Goa Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development, Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Goa State Biodiversity Board. These agreements are expected to support training, research, and development initiatives within the cooperative ecosystem.

Highlighting the current landscape, Shirodkar said Goa has 144 credit societies but faces challenges related to financial discipline, noting that around 10,000 cheque bounce cases have been reported.

He clarified that loan recovery falls under the responsibility of banks and announced the formation of a dedicated Registrar of Cooperative Societies (RCS) Cell to streamline processes and address related issues more effectively.