Thiruvananthapuram: The central government is changing the manner in which schemes of various ministries are implemented through cooperative societies. The ministry of cooperation receives Rs 1,67,127 crore in this manner from eight departments. Cooperatives can directly apply for availing a share of this scheme. However, the groups in Kerala will not get much as the cooperative reforms put forward by the central government will not be accepted here. 

It has been decided to make the cooperatives as the local implementing agencies for the central government schemes of all ministries. In this way, Rs 1.67 lakh crores are being transferred to the cooperation department from the projects of various ministries. 

This mainly includes the funds from the ministries of agriculture, food, fisheries, civil supplies, dairy, public distribution, consumer affairs and energy. From this, Rs 26,238 crore is given as subsidy to the cooperative societies. 

Apart from this, funds are also allocated to the cooperatives under various schemes of the ministry of cooperatives and through NABARD, NAFED, small farmers agri business consortium and the national cooperative development corporation. This also cannot be availed by the cooperative groups in Kerala.

The schemes have been formulated based on the model bill prepared by the Centre. Kerala has not approved this bill while all other states have agreed to it. Therefore, the union ministry of cooperation has taken the stance that there is no need to alter the scheme just for one state.