Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India] July 4 : Under the leadership of Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Gujarat has successfully translated Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of women's empowerment into actionable initiatives.
By prioritising the cooperative model, the state has not only enhanced women's leadership in the rural economy but also strengthened the cooperative sector.
This approach, guided by Union Home & Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, emphasises the vital role of economically and socially empowering women as part of building a self-reliant India. Through these efforts, Gujarat exemplifies how cooperative models can uplift communities and foster sustainable development.
On the occasion of International Cooperative Day, the Government of Gujarat released inspiring statistics showcasing the rising participation of women in cooperatives across the state.
According to the release, between 2020 and 2025, the number of women-led dairy cooperative societies grew by 21% from 3,764 to 4,562.
According to the Gujarat Cooperation Department, women's leadership in the dairy sector is increasing significantly. In the year 2025, the board of the milk union had 25% of women as 82 directors, which reflects their active participation in the policy-making of milk unions. Furthermore, out of 36 lakh dairy producer members in Gujarat, approximately 12 lakh are women, accounting for nearly 32% of the total.
Not only that, during the same period, women's participation in the management committees of village-level cooperative societies has increased by 14%. The number of women in these committees has risen from 70,200 to 80,000, as stated in the release.
These women are now actively taking on key responsibilities such as policymaking, operations, and monitoring at the grassroots cooperative level.
On the special occasion of International Day of Cooperatives, data shared by the Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Limited (GCMMF) reveals that milk procurement by women-led dairy cooperative societies in Gujarat has increased by 39%, from 41 lakh litres per day in 2020 to 57 lakh litres per day in 2025. This now accounts for approximately 26% of the state's total milk procurement.
Women-led dairy cooperatives in Gujarat have not only become a symbol of social transformation but also a significant contributor to the rural economy. In 2020, these cooperatives had an estimated daily revenue of ₹17 crore, amounting to approximately ₹6,310 crore annually.
Over the past five years, this figure has risen to ₹25 crore per day by 2025, surpassing the estimated annual revenue of ₹9,000 crore. This reflects a remarkable increase of ₹2,700 crore in revenue, a 43% growth during this period. This success stands as a strong testament to the empowerment of women through the cooperative model.