The Ministry of Cooperation has brought the CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal back online after a period of disruption, allowing it to resume processing refund claims from depositors of Sahara Group cooperative societies. The portal, managed by the Central Registrar of Cooperative Societies (CRCS), had stopped functioning after the Sahara societies faced operational difficulties starting in November 2025. Around 20 lakh applications remain pending and will now be processed through the restored system.
What has been restored and how much money is involved
So far, the Ministry of Cooperation has refunded Rs 9,267 crore to 41.56 lakh depositors through their Aadhaar-linked bank accounts. The refund process operates through the official CRCS-Sahara Refund Portal, which went live on 18 July 2023 following a Supreme Court order dated 29 March 2023.
The refund covers depositors of four Sahara Group cooperative societies:
- Sahara Credit Cooperative Society Ltd., Lucknow
- Saharayn Universal Multipurpose Society Ltd., Bhopal
- Humara India Credit Cooperative Society Ltd., Kolkata
- Stars Multipurpose Cooperative Society Ltd., Hyderabad
The portal had stopped working because the Sahara societies faced administrative and financial constraints, including problems with IT hardware, software licenses, Annual Maintenance Contracts, and staffing issues. The Ministry of Cooperation coordinated with the Uttar Pradesh government and other agencies to resolve these obstacles.
The verification and refund process is entirely digital. Depositors submit claims online without paperwork. The CRCS matches the depositor’s Aadhaar details with membership and account information held by the societies. Once verified against deposit certificates and supporting documents, eligible amounts are transferred directly to the applicant’s bank account linked to their Aadhaar number.
What this means for you
If you are a Sahara depositor waiting for your refund, your application can now be processed. You should use only the official portal at https://mocrefund.crcs.gov.in to submit new claims or https://mocresubmit.crcs.gov.in to correct errors in previously submitted applications. Do not use any other channel, as the Ministry warns that unauthorised websites may mislead applicants. Ensure your bank account is linked to your Aadhaar before applying, as refunds will be credited only through Aadhaar-seeded accounts.