Vashi: Maharashtra’s cooperation minister Babasaheb Patil inaugurated India’s first Cyber Security Operations Centre (C-SOC) dedicated to the cooperative banking sector. Named ‘Sahakar Suraksha’, the state-of-the-art centre, has been launched by Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank (MSCB).

Established with a capital investment of Rs50 crore under the guidance of the Reserve Bank of India, the facility will provide 24/7 protection against cyber threats for MSCB and other cooperative banks across the state.

Patil urged all district and cooperative banks to subscribe to the services, stressing that cyber protection is essential in today’s digital age to secure depositors’ funds.

The AI-enabled centre, staffed by 35 trained professionals, will monitor cyber threats in real-time, issue alerts, conduct security audits, and provide strategic response solutions. The centre will also serve as a training hub for cooperative bank staff statewide.

Besides Patil, minister of state for cooperation Pankaj Bhoyar, NCP leader Jayant Patil, principal secretary Pravin Darade, cooperative commissioner Deepak Taware, and MSCB chairman Vidyadhar Anaskar were also present on the occasion.

Anaskar emphasized that the initiative aligns with cooperative values and will operate on a not-for-profit basis, benefiting all cooperative banks and credit societies. Experts see this as a game-changing step for securing India’s cooperative banking ecosystem amid rising cyber threats.