COOP DEP(NWP)

Leading NWP

Our Guides

Hon. Thissa Warnasuriya

Hon Governor - NWP

Ms. Deepika K Gunarathne

Chief Secretary - NWP

Ms. Sudarshani Mallikarachchi

Secretary Ministry of Co-Oprative Development

Mr. Wasantha Gunesekara

Commissoner and Registrar of Co-Operative Development

About

Who we are

The Department of Cooperative Development was started in 1930 as a Central Government Department. The role of the department in the North-West Province was fulfilled by Kurunegala, Kuliapitiya and Halawatha regional offices. In 1989, with the introduction of the provincial council system through the 13th constitutional amendment, the departmental role played by the three zonal offices under the central government came under the North West Provincial Cooperative Development Department. The role and responsibility of this department can be identified as follows.

  • Organization of cooperative societies
  • registration
  • Developing
  • Supervision and monitoring
  • Providing consultancy services
  • Examination and Audit
  • Member family development
  • The role and responsibility of this department was also the implementation of government programs by cooperative societies
  • Arbitration of Disputes and Hearing of Appeals
  • Amalgamation, demerger and liquidation of societies

Currently, the Cooperative Development Department provides its services with the Provincial Office and four Assistant Commissioner Offices namely Kurunegala, Mahawa, Kuliapitiya, Halawatha.

A Cooperative Development Commissioner, a Cooperative Development Deputy Commissioner, four Cooperative Development Assistant Commissioners, eleven district officers and a staff of about 350 closed service Cooperative Development Officers and Development Officers, Management Service Officers are working for this.

By making the services provided by the Department of Cooperatives more efficient, by providing necessary guidance, introduction of technology, financial resources and performance evaluations to build a more effective quality and reliable cooperative business, by encouraging the societies, the North West Cooperative Business is constantly committed to making the leading cooperative business in Sri Lanka. .

Translate to Sinhala

Services

Our Sections

To support the institutional activities of cooperative societies

The main task of this department is to give approval for the financial and service activities carried out by the cooperative societies in the Cooperative Societies Act No. 05 of 1972 as amended by Acts No. 32 of 1983 and No. 11 of 1992 and the Rules of 1973 compiled under it. Approval is mainly given for the following activities.

  • Purchase, sale, lease and leasing of immovable and movable property
  • Building construction, repair
  • Maintenance and repair of machinery, vehicles
  • Starting a business
  • Appraisal of personnel and approval of
    • pay grades
  • Approval of payment of allowances
  • Appropriation of profits and distribution of profits
  • Approval of external credit limits

The request of the society, along with the decisions of the Board of Directors and General Assembly, the file with the documents and financial reports related to the request should be forwarded to the Assistant Commissioner for Cooperative Development with the recommendations of the Regional Officer of Cooperative Development under the responsibility of the society. He approves the requests that fall under his jurisdiction and when the limits are exceeded, they are referred to the Cooperative Development Commissioner with his recommendation.



Translate to Sinhala

Investigating and implementing the legal relevance of co-operative societies

The main task of this department is to enforce the legal relevance of the financial and service work done by the cooperative societies under the Co-operative Societies Act No. 05 of 1972 as amended by the Acts No. 32 of 1983 and No. 11 of 1992 and the Rules of 1973 made under it. Mainly the following tasks are performed.

  • Approval of Bylaws and Approval of Amendments
  • Conducting investigations and taking related legal actions
  • Amalgamation, Demerger of Co-operative Societies
  • Audit of Co-operative Societies
  • Arbitration of Disputes, Appeals and Judicial Proceedings
  • Carrying out preventive measures and taking related judicial actions
  • Circularization of legal provisions
  • Liquidation of Co-operative Societies


Translate to Sinhala

Implementation of human resource development programs, provision of financial facilities for cooperative societies and business guidance based on operational data analysis .

The main role of this section is to plan the human resources of the cooperative societies and equip them with knowledge to deal with the private sector in a competitive manner, provide genuine knowledge, training, and facilitate the exchange of practical experience.

The role of the fund department is to provide financial facilities, loans and grants on the basis of subsidized interest for the operational activities of cooperative societies, the implementation of various projects, and the development of infrastructure.

Requests for financing from the cooperative fund for the working capital needs of the society, the completed application form along with the board decisions, the file with the documents and financial reports related to the request should be forwarded to the Assistant Commissioner for Cooperative Development with the recommendations of the Regional Officer of Cooperative Development in charge of the society. The request is forwarded to the Cooperative Development Commissioner along with his recommendation. The requests are forwarded to the Cooperative Development Fund Committee and the funds are released on its approval.
Download Application

Updated data is an essential factor for making business decisions. It is the responsibility of the statistics and data management department to collect and analyze the necessary data and accordingly provide the necessary guidance and technical support to the cooperative societies. The development of the necessary infrastructure for the digitization of cooperative societies, the introduction of software, evaluation and follow-up are carried out by the Software Management Division.

By providing the most optimal service to the cooperative societies, the required knowledge training, introducing digital spaces and making necessary valuations for working capital conditions are done by this division to make the North West cooperative business a competitive business.



Translate to Sinhala

Recruitment of co-operative employees into the pension scheme, management of the scheme and payment of benefits to contributors

A long-term plan aimed at improving the retirement life of North Western Provincial Cooperative Society employees, increasing job security and job satisfaction, and increasing job attraction in the cooperative sector, came to fruition on 28.07.2008 under the initiative of Miss Kumari Weerasekera, who served as the Cooperative Development Commissioner and Registrar. In "Cooperative Worker Pension Scheme” was started.

According to the North West Provincial Cooperative Employees' Pension Charter, every permanent employee of a cooperative society is required to contribute to this pension scheme and a contributor is entitled to the following benefits.

  • Entitlement to a monthly pension of 80% of consolidated salary from the age of 60 years.
  • Entitlement to death gratuity up to Rs.40000.00.
  • Availability of full amount paid with interest in case of resignation or death.

Download Application


Translate to Sinhala

Services

What we do offer

25% refund of paid Cooperative Development Fund

If the fund is paid within 6 months of allocation for the cooperative fund, 25% of the paid fund can be returned to the society.

To build a house for members or employees Rs. 200,000.00 grant

The Cooperative Development Fund provides a grant of Rs. two lakhs to build a house for members and employees of cooperative societies who do not have a permanent home and have financial difficulties.

Credit assistance up to Rs. 20,000,000.00 under subsidized interest for purchasing consumer goods

Short-term credit facilities are provided at subsidized interest rates to meet the working capital required to purchase goods for the marketing needs of cooperative societies.

Financial grants for purchase of office equipment for school cooperative societies

Providing grants for the purchase of office requirements such as photocopiers, file cabinets, etc. required by school cooperative societies.

Annually for cooperative training Rs. 10,000,000.00 investment

Conducting short-term training programs in cooperative societies by three district cooperative council established to conduct training programs.

Opportunities to participate in study foreign programs

Providing the opportunity to participate in foreign study programs for officers of cooperative societies who have achieved high performance in the cooperative society performance evaluation program.

Portfolio

What we've done - 2023/24

Card image cap
Freshwater fish hatchery programme

Freshwater fish hatchery breeding project implemented by the Siyambalangamuwa Fishermen's Cooperative Society under the financial facilities of the Cooperative Development Fund.

Card image cap
Project to construct 150 domestic biogas units

A project of construction of 150 domestic biogas units was implemented by the Coconut Triangle Dairy Cooperative Societies Union Limited, for which loan assistance was provided by the Cooperative Development Fund..

Card image cap
Banana Cultivation Project under Ussana Water Scheme

It is a banana and crop cultivation project implemented by the Kumara Pallampattu Agricultural Cooperative Society Limited under the Ussana irrigation system. The project has been financed under provincial specific grants.

Card image cap
Renewable Energy Program (Solar Power)

A solar power project with a capacity of 50 KW has been implemented by the Coconut Triangle Dairy Cooperative Society Union Limited. The necessary financial facilities have been provided by the Cooperative Development Fund.

102nd International Cooperative Day Celebration in the North West Province and "Thirasara Abhiman" Cooperative Society Performance Award Ceremony

The 102nd International Cooperative Day Celebration and "Thirasara Abhiman" Cooperative Society Performance Award Ceremony was held on 23.12.2023 at the Wayamba University Auditorium under the patronage of the Hon. Governor of North West Province, Mr. Tissa Warnasuriya, and the Chief Secretary of North West Province, along with distinguished guests, with the participation of more than a thousand cooperative members.

F.A.Q

Frequently Asked Questions

    1. Application Form (In case of primary society minimum 10 persons should be signatories and in case of secondary society minimum 3 societies should be signatories.)
    2. 2 copies of the proposed by-laws
    3. A certified copy of the minutes of the General Assembly as per rule 45
    4. Feasibility Report
    5. Progress reports and financial statements of the society (up to date of request)
    6. A document confirming that the founding owners of the society have paid the respective shares
    7. Personnel Information of the Board of Directorsඩ
    8. Copies of the attendance list for the regular General Assembly meetings of the Society
    9. Road map
    10. Map showing jurisdiction
    1. 2 copies of the proposed by-laws amendment
    2. Full copy of registered by-laws of the society
    3. Copy of the convening letter of the General Assembly in which the amendment to the Bylaws was presented
    4. General Assembly Agenda
    5. Certified copy of the report of the General Assembly approving the constitutional amendment
    6. General Assembly attendance register
    7. Declaration that the by-law amendment was legal
    8. Recommendation of the Officer-in-Charge of the Society
    1. Society's request
    2. Documents confirming that procurement procedures have been followed
    3. Need to purchase property
    4. A valuation report obtained from a recognized agency while purchasing property such as land and buildings
    5. Estimate prepared by a recognized agency at the time of construction
    6. Technical evaluation reports as per requirement
    7. Copies of quotations called as per procurement procedures
    8. Board of Directors and General Assembly Decisions
    9. Copy of Development Plan
    10. Last audited financial statements and financial statements of the most recent year
    11. Statement of Financial /Capital Account as on the last day of the nearest month if six months have passed beyond the financial year
    12. How Funds are Deployed/How Funds Are Obtained
    13. Project report if a project
    14. Recommendation of the Officer-in-Charge of the Society
    1. Completed application
    2. Committee's letter of request
    3. Loan/Grant Requirement Issue
    4. Project report for a project
    5. Report on investment viability/returns
    6. Financial status reports of the society
    7. Reports verifying the ability to repay the loan
    8. Recommendation of the Officer-in-Charge of the Society
Translate to Sinhala

Call To Action

The Department of Cooperative Development(NWP) is always ready to assist with any of your needs and call for your needs.

Common Line : 037 22 23 568 /037 22 23 630
Fax Line : 037 22 23 630
Commissioner : 037 22 22 326
Assistant Commissioner : 037 22 31 470
Accountant: 037 22 31 471
Pension Scheem: 037 22 33 826
Assistant Commissioner -Kurunegala Division :
Rajapihilla Rd, Kurunegala 		037 22 22 126
Assistant Commissioner -Maho Division :
Anuradhapura Rd, Daladagama, Maho		 037 22 22 126
Assistant Commissioner -Kuliyapitiya Division :
Kurunegala Rd, Kuliyapitiya		 037 22 81 723
Assistant Commissioner -Chlaw Division :
Kurunegala Rd, Chilaw		 032 22 22 126

Contact

Contact Us

Location:

The Department of Co-Operative Development(NWP), 1St Floor, Provincial Council Office Complex, Kurunegala

Fax:

037 22 23 630