Government has said that the National Cooperative Development Corporation, NCDC has sanctioned financial assistance of over seven thousand 708 crore rupees for the development of cooperative societies exclusively promoted by women. In a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha, Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said, there are 25 thousand 385 Women Welfare Cooperative Society registered in the country. He said NCDC has been playing a significant role in improving the socio-economic status of women cooperatives enabling them to take up business model-based activities. Mr Shah said the government has taken various initiatives to promote the participation of women in cooperatives. The Minister informed that there are over one lakh 44 thousand dairy cooperatives in the country and a large number of rural women are engaged in the sector.