Context: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation launched the digital portal of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS) office in Pune, Maharashtra.

About the Portal

• The Ministry of Cooperation has taken several initiatives to strengthen the cooperative movement in the country.

• In this direction, the office of the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies is being computerized to promote ease of doing business in the cooperative sector.

The main objectives of computerization of the Central Registrar's Office are

• Completely paperless application and processing

• Automatic compliance with Multi State Co-operative Societies Act (MSCS Act) and Rules through software

• Enhancing Ease of Doing Business, Digital communication, Transparent processing

• Improved Analytics and MIS (Management Information Systems)

The following modules will be included in the Central Registrar Portal

• Registration; Amendment of Bye Laws, Annual Return Filing, Appeal, Audit, Inspection, Inquiry, Arbitration, Winding Up & Liquidation, Ombudsman, Election

• The new portal will also incorporate the recently passed amendments to the MSCS Act, 2002 and its rules.

CRCS

• As per the Constitution, the Cooperative societies with objects confined to one State only are governed by the Cooperative laws of the respective State Government.

• The cooperative societies with objects confined to more than one State are governed by the central law, namely, ‘the Multi-State Co-operative Societies Act 2002 (Act 39 of 2002).

• It is a statutory body responsible for registration and other processes of the Multi State Cooperative Societies (MSCS).