Nabcons plans expansion in Africa

Nabard Consultancy Services Private Limited (Nabcons), a wholly owned subsidiary of Nabard established in 2003, is planning to further penetrate in Africa, after opening a representative office in Nairobi, Kenya to cater to the markets in African continent.

UC Sarangi, chairman, Nabard, in a written message sent to the regional office on the occasion of completion of six years of Nabcons in West Bengal, said that Nabcons would strengthen its presence in Africa.

The core competence of Nabcons included preparation of detailed project reports, techno-economic appraisal, feasibility studies, potential surveys, micro-finance and livelihood opportunities and turn-around strategies for rural financial institutions, said P Mohanaiah, chief general manager, Nabard, West Bengal.

Nabcons is the official consultant for Planning Commission, various government departments for preparation of DPRs and also evaluation of various government-sponsored programmes.

At all-India level, Nabcons recorded a business of Rs 1127 lakh in the year 2008-09, against a business of Rs 52 lakh during 2003-04. The clients include Government of India, almost all state governments, banks and financial institutions and NGOs.

In West Bengal, Nabcons executed 76 assignments since 2003-04 of which 19 were executed during 2008-09 and 20 during the first six months of the current financial year.

As against the annual target of Rs.75 lakh for the year 2009-10, the Nabcons West Bengal has already contracted business of more than Rs 138 lakh.

Assignments of Nabcons in West Bengal include preparation of the Comprehensive District Agriculture Plans (C-DAPs) for six districts-- Murshidabad, Malda, Purba Medinipur, Jalpaiguri, Paschim Medinipur and Hooghly, and State Agriculture Plan (SAP), Detailed Potential Survey on Agro-based industries for Jangipur sub-division of Murshidabad.

The other important assignments handled included rural infrastructure projects pertaining to DPR on national-level training academy for animal resource management at Haringhata in Nadia district, DPRs on training-cum-marketing centres for SHGs for the ministry of SHG and self employment, DPRs on skimmed milk powder plant and Heifer in Nadia, DPR on Bio-security measures for poultry units.

Nabard West Bengal has also handled an international assignment for the first time by organising an exposure visit for a team of senior officials from the government of Bangladesh.

West Bengal has been recently designated as the zonal centre for Nabcons for West Bengal and North-Eastern States of Sikkim, Tripura, Mizoram and Manipur.