The energy at Mahatma Mandir, Gandhinagar was electric on Friday as Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah inaugurated the EARTH Summit 2025, marking a defining moment for India’s rural ecosystem. With the launch of over 13 cutting-edge digital platforms and services under the Sahakar Sarathi initiative, the summit signaled a bold leap forward in how cooperatives, farmers, and rural institutions will operate in the digital age.

From Digi KCC to the World’s Largest Grain Storage Application, and from the Website Sarathi to ePACS, the bouquet of innovations aims to bridge long-standing rural gaps with technology-led, scalable solutions.

The event was attended by Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Assembly Speaker Shankarbhai Chaudhary, Cooperation Minister Jitu Bhai Vaghani, NAFED Chairman Jetha Bhai Ahir, Cooperation Secretary Ashish Kumar Bhutani, GSBC Chairman Ajay Bhai Patel, and NABARD Chairman Shaji K.V.

Strengthening Rural India: A Three-Part Vision

Calling EARTH Summit 2025 the second chapter in a three-part national roadmap, Shah said the series would culminate in Delhi next year with a comprehensive rural development policy. This upcoming framework will address challenges of four key ministries governing agriculture, animal husbandry, cooperatives, and rural development.

Shah underscored a historic shift since 2014 under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that post-Independence neglect of villages, agriculture, and cooperatives is gradually being reversed by placing rural upliftment at the heart of India’s growth model.

Reimagining the Cooperative Landscape

One of the most ambitious announcements was Shah’s plan to:

• Establish one cooperative institution in every Panchayat
• Expand cooperative membership to over 50 crore Indians
• Significantly increase the cooperative sector’s contribution to India’s GDP

He showcased Gujarat’s landmark achievement—the ‘Cooperation Among Cooperatives’ model—which has strengthened credit capacity by five times. The model integrates PACS, dairies, markets, and cooperatives under district-level umbrellas and mandates accounts with cooperative banks. This unified framework will now guide nationwide Priority Sector Lending reforms.

Technology at the Heart of Transformation

Shah declared technology the “engine of cooperative progress,” highlighting NABARD’s digital leap through Sahakar Sarathi. With features such as:

Real-time credit tracking

Modern banking access at cooperative banks

e-KYC and tech-driven appraisal models

e-KCC offering farmers credit power like international credit cards,
India is poised to give rural communities the digital muscle they need to thrive.

From Dairy Circular Economy to Organic Revolution

The summit also celebrated Gujarat’s pioneering circular dairy economy, which reinvests gains directly into farmer incomes. Shah confirmed that this model will soon be replicated nationwide.

India’s organic movement is booming too—49 lakh farmers are now producing certified organic goods, with over 40 products already available online. A new national lab network, launched with Bharat Organics and Amul, will ensure global-quality standards and expedite farmer payments.

Sahakar Taxi & Cooperative Insurance: Empowering Livelihoods

Adding to the excitement, Shah launched Sahakar Taxi, set to become India’s largest cooperative-driven taxi network. With 51,000 drivers already registered, the platform is expected to reshape rural transport and employment.

He also announced upcoming cooperative insurance schemes spanning health, life, agriculture, and accident coverage, a major step toward financial security for rural families.

“Cooperation is a Kalpavriksha rooted in public welfare and supporting millions of livelihoods,” Shah said, encapsulating the spirit of the summit.