Nabard sanctions Rs 159.86 cr for rural infra

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned Rs 159.86 crore under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) XV to the government of West Bengal.

This includes an innovative Heifer Production Project (Rs 8.61 crore) at Kalyani in Nadia district. The project would generate and supply good quality crossbred cows and buffaloes throughout the state to boost the present milk production. The project is expected to generate recurring employment of 1,000 jobs per year and non-recurring employment of 3.40 lakh mandays.

Other projects sanctioned include 18 rural road projects (Rs 70.26 crore), six rural bridge projects (Rs 35.10 crore), improvement of navigability (Rs. 11.76 crore), fishing jetty (Rs 9.32 crore), six rural markets (Rs. 8.80 crore), 19 block livestock development office projects (Rs 8.52 crore), and three flood protection projects (Rs. 7.49 crore).

For improving rural connectivity, an amount of Rs.70.26 crore has been sanctioned for construction and improvement of 18 Rural Road Projects in six districts of West Bengal-- North 24 Praganas, Paschim Medinipur, Nadia, Bardhaman, Dakshin Dinajpur and Darjeeling. A total road length of 146.42 km is expected to be created. Non-recurring employment generation is expected to be 32.93 lakh man days under these projects. The projects are expected to benefit a population of 15 lakh in 374 villages.

Further, an amount of Rs. 35.10 crore has been sanctioned for six rural bridge projects in Purba Medinipur, Hooghly, Bardhaman, North 24 Parganas and South 24 Parganas districts of the state. A total bridge length of 671.72 metres will be created under these projects. Non-recurring employment generation is expected to be 16.45 lakh man days and the projects would benefit a population of 14.76 lakh in 290 villages.

An amount of Rs. 11.76 crore has been sanctioned for a project to improve navigability of Samudra Khal at the confluence of the Bay of Bengal at Junput in Purba Medinipur district. The project will also allow large number of Mechanised Fishing Vessels and traditional fishing crafts to enter at Junput Fish Landing Centre throughout the year, which will augment fish catch. It is expected to generate non-recurring employment of 4.84 lakh mandays and recurring employment of 1720 jobs per year.

As the entire Sundarbans area is crisscrossed with large number of tidal rivers of estuaries from north and south and innumerable creeks, water transport is the most convenient and cost effective mode of transport. Accordingly, an amount of Rs 9.32 crore has been sanctioned for construction of a Jetty and water reservoir in Purba Medinipur District. The project when complete is expected to generate 3.68 lakh man days non-recurring employment.

This apart, an amount of Rs 7.49 crore has been sanctioned for three flood protection projects to protect 570.50 hectares of land in Jalpaiguri district. The projects are expected to generate recurring employment of 390 jobs per year and non-recurring employment of 3.94 lakh mandays.

Since inception of RIDF, Nabard has sanctioned 32,032 projects with a loan component of Rs 6,034.27 crore to the Government of West Bengal