Amul Ranks as the World's Top Cooperative in GDP Per Capita

• 05 Nov 2025

Source: Mint

Why in News?

The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which markets dairy products under the Amul brand, has been ranked the No. 1 cooperative in the world based on GDP per capita performance, according to the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) World Cooperative Monitor 2025.

• Amul’s success stems from its three-tier cooperative structure, empowering 36 lakh milk producers through 18,600 village dairy cooperatives, promoting inclusive growth, social equity, and rural development across India.

International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) 

• ICA, headquartered in Brussels, is a global body representing cooperatives across sectors and promoting sustainable business models.
  • It works to advance the values of self-help, equality, and social responsibility in cooperative movements worldwide.

World Cooperative Monitor

• The World Cooperative Monitor, developed annually by the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) in collaboration with EURICSE (European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprises), analyses:
  • The economic and social impact of the world’s largest cooperatives.
  • Their contribution to inclusive development, employment generation, and community welfare.

What are Cooperatives?

• About: A cooperative is a voluntary, democratic association that meets shared economic, social, and cultural needs through a jointly-owned enterprise based on the “one member, one vote” principle.
  • In India, the movement began in the late 19th century to curb rural debt and exploitation, marked by the Cooperative Acts of 1904 and 1912.

• Constitutional Framework: The 97th Constitutional Amendment Act, 2011 granted constitutional status to cooperatives.
  • It added Article 19(1)(c), giving citizens the right to form cooperative societies, and Article 43B under the DPSPs, directing the State to promote them.
  • Part IXB (Articles 243ZH–243ZT) lays down the framework for their governance.
• Legal Backing: State cooperatives come under the State List, while multi-state cooperatives fall under the Union List and are regulated by the Multi-State Cooperative Societies (MSCS) Act, 2002.
  • The Central Registrar oversees multi-state cooperatives, whereas State Registrars manage state-level ones.
  • The MSCS (Amendment) Act, 2023 strengthened governance and transparency, and the Ministry of Cooperation, created in 2021, consolidated cooperative-related functions previously under the Ministry of Agriculture, Cooperation, and Farmers Welfare.
• Cooperative Coverage: India has around 8.42 lakh cooperatives with 29 crore members (27% of the global total). Amul and IFFCO rank among the world’s top 10 cooperatives. 
  • Maharashtra alone has over a fourth of all cooperatives, and the top five states—Maharashtra, Gujarat, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, and Karnataka—account for 57% of the total.
• National Cooperation Policy 2025: It is a policy document supporting the Ministry of Cooperation’s “Sahakar se Samriddhi” mandate, replacing the 2002 policy and guiding cooperative growth from 2025–2045. It aims to: 
  • Establish 2 lakh new multipurpose Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (M-PACS), 
  • Leverage schemes like Dairy Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF), PM Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), and the National Programme for Dairy Development (NPDD), and 
  • Promote cooperative education via Tribhuvan Sahkari University.
• International Year of Cooperatives (IYC) 2025: The UN General Assembly has designated 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives with the theme Cooperatives Build a Better World, acknowledging their role in promoting sustainable development and advancing the UN SDGs.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. How does the 97th Constitutional Amendment support cooperatives in India?

It grants constitutional status to cooperatives, adds Article 19(1)(c) for formation rights, and Article 43B under DPSPs directing the State to promote cooperatives, ensuring legal recognition and support.

2. What are the key objectives of the National Cooperative Policy 2025?

The policy aims to establish 2 lakh M-PACS, leverage schemes like DIDF and PMMSY, strengthen cooperative education, and guide cooperative growth from 2025–2045.

3. Why has 2025 been designated the International Year of Cooperatives?

The UN General Assembly recognized 2025 to highlight cooperatives’ role in sustainable development, economic inclusion, and advancing the UN SDGs, under the theme “Cooperatives Build a Better World.

”

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ) 

Q. With reference to ‘Urban Cooperative Banks’ in India, consider the following statements: (2021)

1. They are supervised and regulated by local boards established by 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 a 1966 Amendment. 

Which of the above statements are correct?

(a) 1 only 

(b) 2 and 3 only 

(c) 1 and 3 only 

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Ans: (b)

Q. In India, which of the following have the highest share in the disbursement of credit to agriculture and allied activities? (2011) 

(a) Commercial Banks  

(b) Cooperative Banks  

(c) Regional Rural Banks  

(d) Microfinance Institutions 

Ans: (a)