At Gandhinagar Earth Summit, Amit Shah Launches Sahakar Sarathi; Says “We Are Digitally Strengthening India’s Villages”

In a landmark step toward accelerating India’s rural transformation, Amit Shah, Union Minister for Home and Cooperation, inaugurated the second edition of the Earth Summit at the Mahatma Mandir Convention & Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar. Highlighting the government’s commitment to building a digitally empowered rural economy, he launched Sahakar Sarathi Private Limited, a shared-services technology platform designed to revolutionize India’s rural cooperative banking ecosystem.

At the event, Amit Shah also unveiled 14 new digital technology products for Rural Cooperative Banks and released the NABARD–BCG report, The Future of Rural Banking, which outlines a strategic roadmap to enhance rural credit and strengthen cooperative banking institutions.

“Rural India Will Drive Viksit Bharat”

Delivering his inaugural address, HM Amit Shah said: “Our rural economy budget has grown 3.75 times since 2014, reflecting the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s commitment to India’s villages. We are building a future where 50 crore Indians participate in cooperatives, tripling their contribution to India’s GDP. Rural India will become a decisive force in achieving Viksit Bharat.”

He added that the world must focus on solving grameen challenges if it wishes to address global challenges, emphasizing the pivotal role of cooperative-driven development.

14 Digital Products Launched Under Sahakar Sarathi

Shah unveiled a suite of advanced digital solutions aimed at modernising and strengthening cooperative banks across India. Major launches included:

• Sahakar Setu – unified digital loan platform

• digiKCC – automated Kisan Credit Card system

• ePACS – national ERP platform for PACS, with 25,000 units being onboarded

• Cooperative Governance Index – India’s first governance quality assessment framework for cooperative banks

• World’s Largest Grain Storage Plan Portal – real-time digital monitoring of storage infrastructure

To improve cybersecurity, compliance, and operational efficiency, several Expert-as-a-Service platforms were launched: CISO Sarathi, Tax Sarathi, CBS Sarathi, Regulatory Compliance Sarathi, along with skill development through Shiksha Sarathi. Additional services included AI-driven Cross Sell Sarathi, Campaign Sarathi, a unified Collections Sarathi call-centre service, and bank.in migration support.

Leaders Emphasize Gujarat’s Role in Rural Tech Innovation

Bhupendrabhai Patel, Chief Minister of Gujarat and Guest of Honour, highlighted Gujarat’s leadership in cooperative-driven development, stating:

“Gujarat is India’s growth engine and is ready to lead in rural tech innovation showcased by Earth Summit.”

Mr. Shaji K.V., Chairman, NABARD, added: “Sahakar Sarathi is not just a digital platform—it is the future of India’s cooperative banking sector. It will ensure better technology, stronger services, and deep institutional support for every PACS and rural cooperative entity.”

Earth Summit: A Hub of Rural Innovation

Organized under the guidance of the Ministry of Cooperation, in collaboration with NABARD and the Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI), the Summit is themed “Empowering Rural Innovation for Global Change.” It brought together:

• Innovators & agri-startups

• Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)

• Women entrepreneurs

• Rural cooperative banks

• Policymakers & global experts

The cross-ministerial support—from MeitY, MoEFCC, Ministry of Skill Development, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, and the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser—underscored a united national commitment to digital rural transformation.

Three-City Earth Summit to Conclude in New Delhi

The Earth Summit 2025–26, which began in Hyderabad, held its second chapter in Gandhinagar and will conclude with a national event in New Delhi in February 2026, bringing together India’s most influential voices on rural development, cooperative innovation, and digital transformation.