An empirical study of co-operatives in India: with reference to the five year plans

The present research paper is all about the co-operatives in India. The title of the paper “An empirical study of co-operatives in India: with reference to the five year plans” itself speaks how cooperatives in India have travelled through the initiation of various five year plans. The Co-operatives sector is one of the main allies of Indian economy; the Indian co-operatives are rural economy driven, which has its spreads from beginning to end of the institutional credit structure. The Co-operatives sector plays a key role in the Indian economy. The Co-operatives covers almost 98% of villages. The place of Cooperatives in Indian economy and its role in social and economic affairs has developed a new dimension with the beginning. India has witnessed the growth path through the growth of co-operatives in the post liberalization period at the greater extent. There were 6, 10, 020 co-operatives in India according to the Indian cooperative movement- a statistical profile-2012, including credit co-operatives and non-credit co-operatives, with around 250 Million members and huge share capital of Rs.3, 83, 284. There has been availability of World famous co-operative brands in India like Amul, Mahananda etc. The paper has been classified in to the various parts like introduction of co-operatives, meaning of co-operation, objectives of the study, scope and limitations of the study, co-operative movements in various five year plans in India, problems of co-operatives, suggestions and the conclusion for the research paper.