Srinagar, Aug. 8 -- Cooperative movement in Jammu and Kashmir is being pushed into the spotlight with promises of revival, expansion and digitalisation, but beneath the announcements lies a harder truth: these institutions have long been plagued by inefficiency, weak governance and neglect. The registration of new societies and the computerisation of existing ones may look impressive on paper, yet the real test is whether they can survive beyond the initial fanfare. Numbers alone do not guarantee sustainability; what matters is whether these cooperatives can deliver genuine services to farmers, dairy producers and fisherfolk in some of the most remote corners of the region.

The introduction of frameworks and rankings is meant to enforce ...