At present the Minister In Charge is Shri Shankar Chakraborty. The Secretary, Shri Aariz Aftab, IAS, is the Head of the Department and he is assisted by a number of officers of the rank of Joint Secretary, Deputy Secretary, Assistant Secretary and other officers and staff in order to carry out the main duties and functions which are as follows;

• To formulate and implement National and State Policies and Programmes for achieving rapid growth and development in order to usher in economic and social change in the lives of the rural and urban population by extensive use of principles of Co-operation.

• To undertake developmental planning for the Co-operative Sector of the State.

• To formulate Policies relating to Co-operation and co-operative organisations, Co-operative training and education.

• To strengthen the Co-operative movement through the participation of National Co-operative Development Corporation (NCDC), National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED), National Co-operative Consumer Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF) and National Co-operative Union of India (NCUI).

• To bring about integrated development of marketing of agricultural produces and to safeguard the economic interests of the farming community in general and to control the prices of commodities by ensuring extensive participation of co-operatives.

• To supplement the efforts of State Governments for increasing the production and productivity of agricultural and horticultural crops as well as to create a strong storage infrastructure in the rural areas by bringing all the districts under the purview of development schemes like ICDP, RKVY, RIDF etc.

• To interact and hold meetings and discussions with national institutions like RBI, NABARD, NCDC, NHB etc. and State Government Departments like Finance, Agriculture, Panchayat & Rural Development, Animal Resources Development, Fisheries, MSE & Textiles, SHG & Self-Employment, BCW etc. for ensuring financial help and infrastructure development in the Co-operative Sector

• Exercise the powers and perform the duties as per the Co-operative Societies Act and the Rules for development, supervision and regulation of the Co-operative Societies in the State in the following manner;

• Appoint the Registrar of Co-operative Societies and members of his team to apply the different provisions of the Act and the Rules for promotion and organizing the Co-operatives as well as to supervise and regulate their activities

• Appoint the Director of Co-operative Audit and his team members for carrying out the audit and all related matters in relation to the registered Co-operative Societies.

• Constitute and appoint the members of the West Bengal Co-operative Tribunal, Registration Council and Co-operative Service Commission

• Exempt any Co-operative Society or Class of Co-operative Societies from the application of the provisions of the Act or Rules.

• Direct application of the provisions of the Act or Rules to any Co-operative Society or Class of Co-operative Societies

• Prescribe the extent to which a Co-operative Society shall limit the number of its members.

• Order amalgamation of any central Co-operative bank with any other central Co-operative bank or with the State Co-operative Bank.

• Permit the Registrar to call the General meeting even after the expiry of fifteen months from the date of the last preceding meeting.

• Depute Government Officers to manage the affairs of the Co-operative Societies.

• Order immediate dissolution of the Board of Directors and appoint Administrator either on recommendation of Registrar or on own motion of the Department.

• Rescind or suspend any proceeding or resolution of any General meeting of a Co-operative society or of the Board thereof under certain circumstances.

• Nominate on the Board of a State aided Co-operative Society not more than three members or one- third of the total number of elected members of the board whichever is less.

• By Notification provide for reservation of not more than one-fifth of the seats on the board of a Co-operative society for socially, economically or educationally backward community, class or group of persons.

• Authorize a co-operative society to receive loans by issue or re-issue of debentures.

• Grant approval to a co-operative credit society to borrow money by issue of bonds.

• Grant financial assistance to Co-operative societies.

• Issue directives to any Co-operative society or class of Co-operative societies to modify its policies or to take actions in the manner as may be specified in the order.

• Remit duties, fees, tax or cess and grant preference and exemption to any Co-operative society or class of Co-operative societies.

• Grant approval by general or special order to any association or body of persons (whether incorporated or not) or any financing bank to be eligible for membership of a co-operative society.

• Extend by Notification, the provision of direct membership similar to one provided for primary Co-operative credit society and farmers’ service co-operative society to such other Co-operative society

• Order conducting of cost audit or performance audit or both of a society or class of societies.

• Authorize inspection of any co-operative society.

• Extend time limit for disposal of appeals by the appellate authority (other than Co-operative Tribunal).

• Call for and examine the records of any inspection or enquiry held or the proceedings of the Registrar or any person subordinate to him or acting on the authority of Registrar and pass appropriate orders.

• Add to and amend the Fifth schedule list of the Act.

• Frame Rules for carrying out the purposes of the Act.

• Hear and dispose of appeals arising out of orders of apportionment of cost of inspection or inquiry made by Registrar.

• Hear and dispose of appeals arising out of orders of approval of expulsion of members from housing Co-operative societies accorded by Registrar.

• The Department is responsible for control, supervision and monitoring the activities and working of all the officers and staff in employment in the Department as well as the offices under its control as per services and financial rules of the State Government. It is also responsible for Cadre management of the West Bengal Co-operative Service and the West Bengal Junior Co-operative Service whose members hold key posts in the Range offices, Co-operation Directorate and on deputation to important Co-operative institutions as well as posts in other State Government Offices