Southern Provincial Co-operative Department functions under the Ministry of Agriculture ,Agrarian Development ,Irrigation , Water Supply and Drainage, Food Supply and Distribution, Trade and its key post is the Commissioner Co-operative Development and the Registrar of Co-operative Societies and the key post of the Deputy Commissioners Office is the Assistant Commissioner of Co-operative Development .
The offices of the Assistant Commissioners function under the Department of Co-operative Development -Southern Province and the offices of the Assistant Commissioners are located in the districts of Galle, Matara and Hambantota .
The staff consisting of Deputy Commissioner of Co-operative Development, Assistant Commissioner of Co-operative Development, Accountant, Administrative Officer, District Co-operative Development Officer, Head Quarters Cooperative Development Officer, Development Officers, Co-operative Development Officers, Information Technology Assistants, Management Assistants, Drivers and Office Assistants are employed under the Commissioner of Co-operative Development and the Registrar of Co-operative Societies in the Office of the Commissioner of Co-operative Development.
In the year 1930, the Department of Co-operatives was established as a separate body and the Co-operative Societies Ordinance No.16 of 1936 was passed to maintain the proper functioning of the Department. This act remained in force until Co-operative Societies Act No.05 of 1972 was passed . the Co-operative Societies Act No.05 of 1972 was revised by act No.32 of 1983 and Act No.11 of 1992 and it was effective in the southern province till the year 2019.The subject of Co-operatives was decentralized to the Provincial Councils by the Provincial Councils Act No.12 of 1989 and accordingly the Southern Provincial Co-operative Societies Ordinance No.06 of 2019 was adopted by the Southern Provincial Council on 01.04.2019.
The Department of Co-operative Development - Southern Province has been set up to achieve the key objectives of formulation ,guidance , supervision ,audition , and administration of the entire Co-operative Society movement which has been established to assist the people at every occasion of their life and those societies are established as Multi-purpose Co-operative Societies which contribute to the economic ,social, cultural and educational development of the people of the Southern Province , Thrift and Credit Co-operative Societies, Industrial and Production Co-operative Societies, Fishery Co-operative Societies ,Hospital Co-operative Societies, Festival Services Co-operative Societies and School Co-operative Societies etc.
Under this , Department of Co-operative Development handles all development and statutory functions of registering, developing, auditing, investigating & legalizing Co-operative Societies and make aware and guiding members of Director Board, members of the General Meetings and members of Co-operative Societies .Further ,special functions conducted by this Department are guidance to fulfil the services performed by the co-operative movement towards the objectives of the Millennium Development Goals and to conduct the societies in order to give the assistance continuously to achieve national targets.
A staff consisting of 286 employees are attached to various posts in the Department of Co-operative Development –Southern Province including the Commissioner of Co-operative Development and they efficiently and diligently provide their services. The Department continues to make an optimum contribution to the Co-operative movement by playing a formal organizational role by encouraging the co-operatives for the advancement of the Co-operative movement in the Southern Province in line with the International Co-operative Standards.