Examine how the National Cooperation Policy, 2025 seeks to operationalise the idea of cooperative federalism in India.

Q. Examine how the National Cooperation Policy, 2025 seeks to operationalise the idea of cooperative federalism in India. (15 marks, 250-350 words)

Cooperation is constitutionally a State subject (Entry 32, State List), while multi-state societies fall under the Union (Entry 44) — making the sector an inherently shared domain. The National Cooperation Policy (NCP), 2025, unveiled on 24 July 2025 [2], seeks to bridge this divide less through new law than through consultative design and coordinating institutions.

Federalised policy-making process - Drafted by a national committee under Suresh Prabhu, through 17 meetings and 4 regional workshops (Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Gurugram, Patna), incorporating 648 stakeholder suggestions [2]. - State federations, cooperative societies and academics were engaged before rollout, building consent rather than imposing a template.

Two-tier institutional machinery - A National Steering Committee chaired by the Union Minister of Cooperation provides strategic direction, while a Policy Implementation and Monitoring Committee under the Union Cooperation Secretary handles Centre–State coordination, troubleshooting of bottlenecks and periodic evaluation [1]. - Its first meeting (09.06.2026) brought Central Ministries, National Federations and senior State Government officials onto one platform — separating strategic oversight from operational review [1].

Whole-of-Government convergence - Implementation is explicitly pursued through a "Whole-of-Government" approach in the spirit of cooperative federalism, with over 150 initiatives already taken [1]. - Apex bodies — NABARD, NCDC, NDDB, NFDB, VAMNICOM, NCCT — are aligned to the same framework, and the National Cooperative Database supplies a shared evidence base for both levels [1].

Constraints in operationalisation - Being a policy and not a statute, its 6 pillars, 16 objectives and 83 recommendations [3] depend on voluntary State adoption and uneven administrative capacity. - Registration, audit and elections of societies remain with States, so outcomes will vary regionally.

NCP 2025 thus converts cooperative federalism from a slogan into a working architecture — shared drafting, joint monitoring and pooled data. Sustained success will require capacity support and fiscal incentives to States, so that the "Sahkar-se-Samriddhi" vision genuinely advances Viksit Bharat @2047 through partnership rather than prescription.

(~325 words)

Sources: 1. Review of National Cooperation Policy, 2025 — PIB — two-tier committee structure, 09.06.2026 first meeting, Whole-of-Government approach, apex bodies, National Cooperative Database, initiatives taken 2. Shri Amit Shah unveils National Cooperative Policy - 2025 in New Delhi — PIB — 24 July 2025 launch, Prabhu committee, 17 meetings, 4 regional workshops, 648 suggestions 3. National Cooperation Policy 2025 (Factsheet) — PIB — 6 pillars, 16 objectives, 83 recommendations; Sahkar-se-Samriddhi and Viksit Bharat @2047 vision