Miscellaneous Schemes under Ministry of Cooperation
These schemes are targeted initiatives by NCDC to support various sectors under the umbrella of cooperative empowerment. While the Dairy Sahakar focuses on dairy, these schemes broaden the scope to healthcare, youth entrepreneurship, and internships.
Let us look at each of them one by one:
🩺 AYUSHMAN SAHAKAR SCHEME
“Cooperatives in the service of holistic healthcare”
🎯 Aim:
To provide financial assistance to cooperatives involved in healthcare infrastructure, education, and services.
🏛️ Implementing Agency:
National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC), launched the scheme in October 2020
🛠️ Key Support Activities:
NCDC provides finance to cooperatives for:
- Establishing Primary Health Centres (PHCs)
- Running medical colleges and nursing schools
- Offering diagnostic services (labs, X-ray, etc.)
- Operating pharmaceutical ventures
- Setting up blood banks, hospitals, etc.
🧾 This scheme is especially relevant for rural health infrastructure, which is often underfunded and underserved.
💵 Financial Support Highlights:
- Working capital support for day-to-day operations
- Margin money assistance to bridge funding gaps
- Interest subvention:
🔸 1% rebate on interest rates for women-majority cooperatives
🔗 UPSC Angle:
This scheme connects health (GS II), cooperatives (GS III), and gender empowerment. In Essay/GS, it reflects the model of integrated rural development through cooperatives.
YUVA SAHAKAR
“Attracting the youth to cooperative enterprise and innovation”
🎯 Aim:
To promote youth-led startups and cooperative innovations by supporting entrepreneurial ventures under the cooperative model.
🏛️ Implementing Agency:
NCDC launched the scheme in November 2018
✅ Eligibility:
- All cooperatives in operation for at least one year
💰 Funding Mechanism:
The scheme is backed by:
- Cooperative Start-up and Innovation Fund (CSIF) created by NCDC
🧾 Financial Assistance:
- Project cost limit: Up to ₹3 crore
- Interest Benefit:
🔸 2% less than the prevailing interest rate
🔸 Includes a 2-year moratorium on principal repayment
📊 Funding Pattern:
| Category of Cooperative | NCDC Will Fund |
| North Eastern Region, Aspirational Districts, or Cooperatives with Women / SC / ST / PwD members | 80% of Project Cost |
| Others | 70% of Project Cost |
💡 This scheme promotes equitable entrepreneurship, especially among vulnerable and underrepresented groups.
🔗 UPSC Angle:
Can be quoted in answers related to:
- Start-up India
- Youth Empowerment
- Inclusive Development
- Regional Development (NER/Aspirational Districts)
🎓 SAHAKAR MITRA
“Internship scheme to bridge young talent with the cooperative sector”
🎯 Aim:
To expose young professionals to the functioning of cooperative institutions and simultaneously help cooperatives benefit from new and innovative ideas.
🏛️ Implementing Agency:
- launched on June 11, 2020 by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, under the aegis of the National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC)
🎓 Eligibility:
- Professional graduates in fields like:
- Agriculture and allied disciplines
- MBA (Agri-business, Cooperation, IT, etc.)
🕰️ Internship Duration:
- Short-term internship (not exceeding 4 months)
🔧 Core Objective:
- Skill development of interns through field-level exposure
- Improve organizational innovation in cooperatives
🧠 This is a great example of how youth engagement can contribute to the social sector while also gaining employability skills.