Rajya Sabha passes Bills to change Kerala’s name, strengthen NCDC

The Rajya Sabha passed two Bills on August 12, 2026 - the National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026. The Upper House had previously approved approximately 10 Bills during the intense Monsoon Session, excluding a few Money Bills that were sent back to the Lok Sabha.

At the time of the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill discussion, Minister of State for Home Affairs Nityanand Rai stated that the Bill's objective was to align with the Kerala Assembly's resolution from 2024 that sought to change the State's name from Kerala to Keralam. Rai emphasized that the Union government was dedicated to eradicating symbols of oppression, including names and symbols of institutions, and replacing them with representations of India's heritage.

He also addressed a controversial case involving a teacher who received disciplinary action for creating a quiz that classified freedom fighter V.D. Savarkar as the one who faced the maximum punishment from the British. Opposition MPs questioned the absence of Home Minister Amit Shah, who was expected to sponsor both Bills. Congress member Jebi Mather supported the Bill but inquired about the Home Minister's whereabouts.

BJP MP Samik Bhattacharya proposed renaming West Bengal to Paschim Banga, a demand that Rai assured the Union government would consider. The National Co-operative Development Corporation (Amendment) Bill would expand the NCDC's mandate to allow it to directly lend and grant funds to cooperative societies. Murlidhar Mohol, the Minister of State for Cooperation, clarified that the proposed amendment did not include any additional government budgetary support.

Instead, the amendments were intended to bolster the NCDC and the broader cooperative ecosystem, modernizing and empowering it while contributing to the nation's growth.