Urban co-operative banks are registered under Co-operatives Societies Act of the respective State Governments. Prior to 1966, UCBs were exclusively under the purview of State Governments.

History of Urban Cooperative Banks in India

The term Urban Co-operative Banks (UCBs), though not formally defined, refers to primary cooperative banks located in urban and semi-urban areas. These banks, till 1996, were allowed to lend money only for non-agricultural purposes. They essentially lend to small borrowers and businesses. Today, their scope of operations has widened considerably.

The origins of the urban cooperative banking movement in India can be traced to the close of nineteenth century when, inspired by the success of the experiments related to the cooperative movement in Britain and the cooperative credit movement in Germany such societies were set up in India. Cooperative societies are based on the principles of cooperation, - mutual help, democratic decision making and open membership. Cooperatives represented a new and alternative approach to organization as against proprietary firms, partnership firms and joint stock companies which represent the dominant form of commercial organisation.

The first study of Urban Co-operative Banks was taken up by RBI in the year 1958-59. The Report published in 1961 acknowledged the widespread and financially sound framework of urban co-operative banks; emphasized the need to establish primary urban cooperative banks in new centers and suggested that State Governments lend active support to their development. In 1963, Varde Committee recommended that such banks should be organised at all Urban Centres with a population of 1 lakh or more and not by any single community or caste. The committee introduced the concept of minimum capital requirement and the criteria of population for defining the urban centre where UCBs were incorporated.

Recent Developments

Over the years, primary (urban) cooperative banks have registered a significant growth in number, size and volume of business handled. As on 31st March, 2003 there were 2,104 UCBs of which 56 were scheduled banks. About 79 percent of these are located in five states, - Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Tamil Nadu.

Priority Sector Lending

UCBs are required to channelize 60 per cent of total loans and advances towards priority sector. Furthermore, within the priority sector lending, lending to weaker sections should constitute 15 per cent of the total loans and advances of UCBs. Fulfilment of priority sector lending targets by individual UCBs are taken into consideration by the RBI while granting permission for branch expansion, expansion of areas of operation, scheduled status, etc.

List of Urban Cooperative Banks