Rs 546-cr Nabard loan to UP

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned Rs 546 crore credit to Uttar Pradesh under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF).

Since the inception of RIDF in 1995-96, a cumulative financial assistance to the tune of Rs 8,500 crore has been sanctioned for executing 22,279 projects in the state. RIDF, which is primarily utilised for irrigation, flood protection, rural road and bridge projects, would support development works in various districts of the state, including Bundelkhand and eastern region, Nabard chief general manager D P Misra said.

The funds would be used for construction or modernisation of 8,200 blast-wells in eight districts and modernisation of 38 pump canals in 19 districts in eastern Uttar Pradesh.

Besides, 46 flood protection projects in different districts and a project on tree improvement under forestry sector will be undertaken. The blast-well irrigation project in Bundelkhand/eastern region will create/restore irrigation in over 24,600 hectares, benefiting mostly small and marginal farmers.

The project, on completion, would also help mitigate drought conditions in the future, Mishra added. The modernisation of irrigation projects would restore irrigation potential of over 47,800 hectares in the eastern region.

The flood control projects would protect approximately 1.16 lakh hectares agricultural land in 1,157 villages, besides ensuring safety to human population, live stock and other vital infrastructure.

This would also ensure agricultural operations in an uninterrupted manner. The forestry project aiming at creating infrastructure for production of quality planting material of forest trees would help to enhance prductivity of tree crop in forest/farm lands.