Department of Co-operation (Kerala)


The Department of Co-operation is an administrative department of the Government of Kerala, responsible for the development, regulation, and supervision of the co-operative sector in the state. The department oversees all registered co-operative societies, including co-operative banks, credit societies, marketing societies, and sector-specific cooperative institutions.
The department ensures implementation of cooperative policies, facilitates financial assistance, regulates registration of societies, and enforces the provisions of the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969. It plays a significant role in rural development, agricultural credit, and the cooperative banking structure in Kerala.

Ministerial Team

The department is headed by a Cabinet Minister of the Government of Kerala, and the current Minister for Co-operation is V. N. Vasavan.
The administrative head of the department is the Special Secretary to Government , an IAS officer. The Secretary oversees policy formulation, administrative decisions, and coordination with field agencies.
The operational authority for co-operative administration and regulation lies with the Registrar of Co-operative Societies, who is responsible for supervision of all registered cooperative societies in the state. The current Registrar of Co-operative Societies is Dr. D.Sajith Babu IAS.

Functional Structure

Registrar of Co-operative Societies (RCS)

The Registrar of Co-operative Societies exercises statutory powers for:
  • Registration and regulation of co-operative societies.
  • Conduct of elections to society governing bodies.
  • Audit and inspection of co-operative institutions.
  • Supervision and enforcement under the Kerala Co-operative Societies Act, 1969 and Rules, 1969.
District-level cooperative administration is carried out by District Co-operative Officers, Joint Registrars, and Assistant Registrars.

Functions

The major functions of the Department include:
  • Registration, supervision, and inspection of co-operative societies.
  • Promotion and development of co-operative institutions across various sectors.
  • Implementation of cooperative development policies and welfare schemes.
  • Ensuring transparency and accountability in co-operative institutions.
  • Financial support and credit facilitation through cooperative banks and apex agencies.

Subordinate Institutions

Directorates / Field Offices

  • Office of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies
  • District Co-operative Offices

Apex and Allied Institutions

The organisations under the Co-operative Department are classified into:
  • Apex co-operative institutions under the administrative control of the Registrar of Co-operative Societies
  • Apex institutions under Functional Registrars
  • Other Regional and State-wide co-operative institutions

Apex Institutions under the Administrative Control of Registrar of Co-operative Societies

  1. Kerala State Cooperative Bank –
  2. Kerala State Cooperative Agricultural and Rural Development Bank –
  3. Kerala State Cooperative Consumer Federation –
  4. Kerala State Cooperative Marketing Federation –
  5. Kerala State Cooperative Rubber Marketing Federation –
  6. Kerala State Cooperative Housing Federation
  7. Kerala State Cooperative Hospital Federation
  8. Kerala State SC/ST Development Federation –
  9. Kerala Women Cooperative Federation –
  10. Kerala State Cooperative Labour Cooperative Federation
  11. Kerala State Cooperative Tourism Federation –

Apex Institutions under Functional Registrars

  1. Kerala State Handloom Weavers Co-operative Society
  2. Kerala State Co-operative Coir Marketing Federation –
  3. Kerala Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation –
  4. Kerala State Cooperative Fish Marketing Federation –
  5. Kerala State Textile Co-operative Federation –
  6. Kerala State Cashew Workers Apex Industrial Cooperative Society –
  7. Kerala Handicrafts Apex Co-operative Society
  8. Kerala State Rural Women's Electronics Industrial Co-operative Federation –
  9. Kerala Coconut Farmers Co-operative Federation –

Regional and State-wide Co-operative Institutions

  1. Regional Agro Industrial Development Corporation –
  2. Kerala State Rubber Co-operative Ltd –
  3. Kerala Dinesh Beedi Central Co-operative Society –
  4. Kerala State Co-operative Institute of Information Technology –
  5. Kerala State Engineering & Transport Development Co-operative Society
  6. Artisans Development Corporation
  7. Co-operative Insurance Society –
  8. Kerala State Engineering and Infrastructure Service Co-operative Society
  9. Kerala State Legal Metrology Licensees and Technicians Co-operative Society
  10. Kerala State Pravasi Welfare Development Co-operative Society –
  11. Kerala State Pravasi Welfare and Development Co-operative Society –
  12. Kerala Tourism Development Co-operative Society

Regional and State-wide Institutions under Functional Registrars

  1. Thiruvananthapuram Regional Co-operative Milk Producers Union –
  2. Ernakulam Regional Co-operative Milk Producers Union –
  3. Malabar Regional Co-operative Milk Producers Union –
  4. Kerala State Agro Co-operative Ltd