L. A. BILL No. LIV OF 2026.

A BILL

further to amend the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960.

WHEREAS it is expedient further to amend the Maharashtra Co-operative

Societies Act, 1960, for the purposes hereinafter appearing; it is hereby enacted

in the Seventy-seventh Year of the Republic of India as follows:—

1. This Act may be called the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies (Second

Amendment) Act, 2026.

2. In section 23 of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960

(hereinafter referred to as “the principal Act”), after sub-section (1) the following

proviso shall be inserted, namely:—

Mah.

XXIV of

1961.

Short title.

Mah.

XXIV of

1961.

Amendment

of section 23

of Mah. XXIV

of 1961.

(1)

भााग पााच-अ-४७–१

RNI No. MAHBIL /2009/40123

महाारााष्ट्र� शाासन रााजपत्र

असाधाारण भााग पाच-अ

वर्षष १२, अंंक २३(३)]

मंंगळवार, जुुलैै ७, २०२६/आषााढ १६, शकेे १९४८

[पृृष्ठेे ३, किं�ंमत : रुपयेे ३६.००

असाधाारण क्रमांं�क ४७

प्रााधि�कृृत प्रकााशन

महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानसभेेत व महाारााष्ट्र वि�धाानपरि�षषदेेत सादर केेलेेली वि�धेेयकेे (इंंग्रजी अनुुवाद).

MAHARASHTRA LEGISLATURE SECRETARIAT

The following Bill was introduced in the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly on the 7th July,

2026 is published under Rule 117 of the Maharashtra Legislative Assembly Rules :—

महाारााष्ट्र शाासन रााजपत्र असाधाारण भााग पाच-अ, जुुलैै ७, २०२६/आषााढ १६, शकेे १९४८

“Provided that, no primary agricultural credit co-operative society shall

refuse admission to membership to any person who is a resident in area of

operation of such society and has minimum 10R agricultural land and not

having membership of any other primary agricultural credit co-operative society

functioning in the area of operation of such society.”.

3. In section 144-11A of the principal Act, after sub-section (1), the

following proviso shall be inserted, namely:—

“Provided that, non-agricultural co-operative credit society may disburse

gold loan to any person other than share holder member by making him a

nominal member of the society.”.

Amendment

of section

144-11A of

Mah. XXIV of

1961.

STATEMENT OF OBJECTS AND REASONS

Section 23 of the Maharashtra Co-operative Societies Act, 1960 (Mah. XXIV

of 1961) provides that no society shall without sufficient cause, refuse admission

to membership to any person duly qualified therefor under the provisions of

this Act and its by-laws.

2. The primary object of the primary agricultural credit co-operative

societies is to provide the agricultural loan to the farmers in the area of its

operation. Such societies are also engaged in providing agricultural inputs

such as fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, etc., Majority of the farmers in the State

avail agriculture loan from such societies. In certain cases, it is noticed that,

the eligible persons residing within the area of operation of such societies

though duly qualified to be member are denied admission to membership of

such societies. This often leads to depriving them of access to agricultural loan

and other services provided by such societies.

To ensure membership to such eligible persons who are duly qualified

under the provisions of this Act and in order to strengthen the co-operative

credit structure at the grass-root level, the Government considers it expedient

to provide for mandatory admission to membership of such society. Therefore,

section 23 of the said Act is proposed to be amended to provide for mandatory

admission to membership in such society of any person who resides within its

area of operation, possesses not less than 10R of agricultural land and is not

a member of any other such Society functioning in the same area of operation.

3. Section 144-11A along with section 44 of the said Act provides that

no non-agricultural co-operative credit society shall make a loan to any person

other than a member. Due to these restrictions, such societies are unable to

extend any loan to persons who are not members thereof.

The gold loan is a secured loan and its demand is increasing due to quick

disbursement to the borrower. Considering growing demand for gold loan and

its secured nature and to enhance access to institutional credit, the Government

considers it expedient to amend the said section 144-11A, suitably, to enable

the non-agricultural co-operative credit societies to disburse gold loan also to

nominal members.

4. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objectives.

Mumbai,

BABASAHEB PATIL,

Dated the 6th July, 2026.

Minister for Co-operation.

Vidhan Bhavan :

JITENDRA BHOLE,

Mumbai,

Secretary-1,

Dated the 7th July, 2026.

Maharashtra Legislative Assembly.

ON BEHALF OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATION, PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY DIRECTOR,

SMT. MANISHA KUMBHAR, PRINTED AT GOVERNMENT CENTRAL PRESS, 21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD,

MUMBAI 400 004 AND PUBLISHED AT DIRECTORATE OF GOVERNMENT PRINTING, STATIONERY AND PUBLICATIONS,

21-A, NETAJI SUBHASH ROAD, CHARNI ROAD, MUMBAI 400 004. EDITOR : DIRECTOR, SMT. MANISHA KUMBHAR.