What is a Multi-State Cooperative Society?
A Multi-State Cooperative Society is registered under Central Government law (Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act, 2002) by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS), Ministry of Cooperation, New Delhi. While a normal state cooperative society can only work inside one state, a Multi-State Cooperative Society has full legal permission to open branches, enroll members, and run operations across two or more states in India.
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Member Count & Family Rule
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Minimum 2 States Required: The society must operate in at least two different Indian States or Union Territories (for example: Haryana and Delhi, or Uttar Pradesh and Bihar).
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Minimum 50 Members per State: You need at least 50 individual members from each state. So for 2 states, you need a minimum of 100 members in total.
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Important "One Member from One Family" Rule: As per strict Central Government rules, only one person from one family can be counted in the promoter list for that state. Two brothers, or father and son, or husband and wife cannot be counted as separate promoters in the same state. Each member must give a signed affidavit confirming this.
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Chief Promoter, Rubber Stamps & Bank
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Appointing Chief Promoter: All promoters hold a meeting and pass a resolution appointing one person as the Chief Promoter, who is authorized to sign applications, bank documents, and speak with the Central Registrar.
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Two Mandatory Rubber Stamps: Before filing, you must prepare:• Proposed Society Stamp (e.g.
[Proposed] ABC Multi-State Cooperative Society Ltd.)
• Chief Promoter Stamp -
Pre-Registration Bank Account: A bank account in the proposed society's name is opened in a scheduled bank to deposit the initial share money from promoters, and the bank manager issues a certificate for it.
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Society Work Plan: A simple project report showing what work the society will do, how it will help members, and how it will remain profitable over the next 3 to 5 years.