Year of Inception:                          2004

No. of operational panchayats:      22

No. of NGO partners:                      22

No. of districts being covered:        4 (Koraput, Malkangiri, Nawrangpur,  Rayagada)

Supported by:                                  DIAKONIA, Sweden 

Promotion and strengthening of cooperative has been taken as one of the novel initiative to create wider scope for members of the community to come together on a common platform to meet their economic , social and cultural needs and aspirations. 

While doing so, emphasis has been laid to form and register the cooperatives under the Self help Cooperative Act, 2001. 

This programme is being implemented across the four districts of undivided Koraput where people are mostly tribal and are deprived of opportunities to fight for their rights and join the mainstream of life. Indeed joining cooperative as a member has come as a boon to them as they see a clear possibility of fulfilling their needs and aspirations. 

A progress perspective

• 45 cooperatives consisting of 1899 male and 1001 females have been formed in the operational area. It is heartening to learn that they have saved about Rs 335477.00 in the form of share capital, saving deposits and purchasing of shares.
• Some cooperatives are already in to service mode in the shape of giving loans to members, opening fair price shop of fertilizers etc.
• 45 Cooperatives have prepared bye laws, out of which 20 have already applied for registration.

Emerging trends:

•  The members of the community realized that cooperative has provided them with the platform to make effort for their economic and social upliftment.
•  There is already a demonstration effect as the people of other areas are showing great interest to come to the fold of cooperative.