Nabard's financial assistance at Rs 2297 crore

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) offered a financial assistance of Rs 2297 crore to Orissa in 2009-10, posting a growth of around 12 per cent over 2008-09.

The loans provided to the banking system by way of refinance for short-term crop production and long-term investment activities for capital formation in agriculture, non-agriculture and services sector formed the largest share of this financial assistance at 73 per cent.

The remaining amount went as loans to the Orissa government for the development of rural infrastructure.

The offtake of loan assistance by the state government from the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund of Nabard recorded a high growth of 64 per cent during 2009-10, compared to the 58 per cent growth clocked in 2008-09.

This loan assistance was utilized by the state government in increasing its irrigation potential, enlargement of road and bridges network, drinking water supply system, setting up of veterinary dispensaries and livestock aid centres.

By the end of March 31, 2010 1,15,954 projects involving a financial assistance of Rs 4769 crore were sanctioned from the RIDF and Rs 2617 crore has been disbursed.

Micro-credit continues to get thrust in the development programmes of Nabard in the state. In 2009-10, Nabard conducted 460 training programmes for the capacity building of 27,000 persons of various stake holding agencies and 198 micro enterprise development programmes have been organized to enable 6000 women SHGs (Self-Help Groups) to pursue various income generating activities on a sustainable basis.

For increasing the credit outreach of the poor, a total sum of Rs 4.5 crroe has been sanctioned by way of soft loan assistance to 19 agencies for the promotion of SHGs and Joint Liability Groups (JLGs).

Nabard also offered Rs 1.07 crore by way of loan assistance to select NGOs (non-governmental organizations) and self employment training institutes for imparting skills training in to about 4500 rural unemployed youths as well as handloom and handicrafts artisans.