Cooperative Society is an autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, Social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.

Cooperatives are community based organization, the Autonomous bodies organized and registered under the provision of Assam Coop: Societies Act with the Chief objective of promotion of socio-economic condition of its shareholders based on principles of cooperation.     
              
The Cooperation Department of Assam has been playing a Pivotal role for the socio-economic development of the weaker Section of the society.  Cooperatives are organized and registered with the chief objective of promotion of socio-economic conditions of the members associated with it . Cooperatives are autonomous bodies and governed by the Assam Cooperative Societies Act/2007 and the Rules framed there under. Cooperatives have covered almost all sectors of our economy.

Cooperatives are formed for generating income and self employment opportunities using local resources in Agriculture and allied sectors including Handloom, Sericulture Livestock, Housing, Fishery, Dairy etc.  Cooperatives work for sustainable development of communities-economically,socially and culturally.
                     
They are delivering necessary services to the people in rural areas in particular in a very systematic manner which is not possible to others.                                   

These co-operatives have contributed a lot in creating social capital and social capital is a pillar of democracy. Group trust is the foundation of social capital. It can arise where similar values and norms are shared by all members of the group. Co-operatives are based on the values of self help and self responsibility. They believe in the philosophy of “All for Each and Each for All”. They play a pivotal role in building trust and in the accumulation of social capital. Co-operatives can be utilized as a platform for collective human resource and skill development units.

There are 637 nos. of different types of Coop: Societies in  Sonitpur district(undivided). They are GPSS, Women multipurpose Coop: Societies, Wholesale Consumers, Coop: Stores Ltd., Primary Consumers, Fishery Coop:, farming Coop:, Thrift  & Credit Coop: , Dairy Coop:, Marketing Coop: etc.
Main functions of this department have been- organization and registration of various types of Coop: Societies, supervision, audit and inspection, Bakijai and Liquidation.