On December 5, 2025, Amit Shah, the Union Home & Cooperation Minister, inaugurated the EARTH Summit 2025 in Gandhinagar, Gujarat. This event marked a significant milestone with the launch of over 13 new services and products under the Sahakar Sarathi initiative. This initiative aims to modernize India’s cooperative and rural banking sector, ultimately strengthening the rural economy.
The EARTH Summit is a series of nationwide summits, and this is its second edition. The primary focus is to address challenges in agriculture, animal husbandry, cooperatives, and allied rural sectors through policy dialogues and actionable solutions. The third and final summit is scheduled to culminate in a comprehensive policy framework in Delhi next year.
Sahakar Sarathi, a joint initiative by NABARD and the Ministry of Cooperation, aims to establish a unified digital infrastructure for rural cooperative banks and those associated with cooperatives. This initiative will enable these banks to adopt advanced banking technologies comparable to commercial banks.
As part of Sahakar Sarathi, cooperative banks will gain access to several digital services, including:
All these services will be provided under a shared services model, facilitating better banking operations.
Among the more than 13 offerings unveiled at the summit are:
Beyond banking reforms, the summit also introduced Sahakar Taxi, a cooperative-based taxi service currently in its pilot phase. Over 51,000 drivers have registered, with plans to scale it into India's largest cooperative taxi company. Furthermore, a cooperative insurance scheme was announced, covering health, life, agriculture, accidents, and related sectors. The vision includes appointing three youth per village as cooperative-insurance ambassadors, aiming to enhance insurance and social security penetration in rural India.
The EARTH Summit 2025 and the Sahakar Sarathi initiative signify a transformative step toward modernizing rural banking in India. By leveraging technology and cooperative models, these initiatives aim to empower the rural economy and enhance financial inclusion.
Q1. What is the purpose of the EARTH Summit 2025?
Answer: The EARTH Summit 2025 aims to address challenges in agriculture, animal husbandry, and cooperatives through policy dialogues, ultimately enhancing the rural economy.
Q2. What is the Sahakar Sarathi initiative?
Answer: Sahakar Sarathi is a joint initiative by NABARD and the Ministry of Cooperation that provides a unified digital infrastructure for rural cooperative banks, enhancing their operational capabilities.
Q3. What services are included in Sahakar Sarathi?
Answer: Sahakar Sarathi includes services like internet banking, UPI, AEPS, core banking, loan origination, e-KYC, and real-time tracking for cooperative banks.
Q4. How many new services were launched at the summit?
Answer: Over 13 new services and products were launched at the EARTH Summit 2025 to support rural banking and cooperative initiatives.
Q5. What is the Sahakar Taxi initiative?
Answer: Sahakar Taxi is a cooperative-based taxi service in pilot phase aimed at becoming India’s largest cooperative taxi company, with over 51,000 registered drivers.
Question 1: What is the main objective of the EARTH Summit 2025?
A) To enhance urban banking facilities
B) To address challenges in rural sectors
C) To promote international trade
D) To develop urban infrastructure
Correct Answer: B
Question 2: Which of the following services is NOT part of the Sahakar Sarathi initiative?
A) Internet banking
B) UPI services
C) Stock trading
D) e-KYC services
Correct Answer: C
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