Kamal Ghorui
Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India on Tuesday unveiled a nationwide capacity-building initiative for urban cooperative banks, as part of its continuing efforts to strengthen the sector’s resilience and governance standards.The programme, titled Mission SAKSHAM, has been conceived as a mission-mode, sector-wide training exercise aimed at upgrading skills across all levels of urban cooperative banks (UCBs). Launched by the RBI Governor, the initiative will roll out a mix of in-person and e-learning modules designed to cover nearly 1.40 lakh participants across the country.The training programmes will target a broad spectrum of stakeholders within UCBs, including board members, senior management, and key functional heads in risk, compliance and audit, as well as employees working in IT and other critical areas. In a bid to widen accessibility and effectiveness, the central bank said it would endeavour to deliver course content in regional languages wherever feasible.The mission has been designed in consultation with the sector’s umbrella organisation and national and state-level cooperative federations, reflecting a collaborative approach to capacity building.With Mission SAKSHAM—literally meaning “to make capable”—the RBI aims to enhance managerial and operational capabilities, improve compliance culture and reinforce institutional strength across UCBs. The initiative is also expected to create a sustainable ecosystem for continuous learning within the sector, contributing to financial stability and supporting the long-term growth of urban cooperative banks.In a speech in July 2025, RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan laid out the future framework for cooperative banks stating that urban cooperative banks (UCBs) must evolve into resilient, professionally managed institutions that retain their community‑oriented character while adhering to modern banking standards. He highlighted that strong governance, independent boards, and robust risk‑management practices would be central to this vision, with the RBI expecting UCBs to safeguard depositor trust and align with a more risk‑based supervisory framework.In the same speech, he outlined that scale, technology, and cooperative‑led networks would shape the sector’s future, highlighting the role of structures such as the National Urban Cooperative Finance and Development Corporation (NUCFDC) as umbrella platforms to help smaller UCBs pool resources, access shared technology, and strengthen capital and liquidity. In this forward‑looking framework, cooperative banks are expected to grow through consolidation and enhanced digital capabilities while operating within a regime of vigilant regulation and prudent governance.
