Rs 5,631 cr sanctioned by Nabard under RIDF

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) has sanctioned 117,141 projects for Orissa under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) at a financial outlay of Rs 5,631 crore.

The completed projects under RIDF have provided irrigation to 4.01 lakh hectares of cultivated land and connectivity to 897 villages through 2650 km of roads and 358 bridges.

Besides, the SHG-Bank linkage programme pioneered by Nabard has helped in enhancing empowerment of millions of rural women and their access to financial services from the banking system.

As many as 5.03 lakh SHGs in the state have been linked with banking system with outstanding bank loan of Rs 1,405 crore.

 

In addition to the formal banking system, Nabard has been encouraging voluntary agencies, socially spirited individuals and civil societies to promote and nurture SHGs.

Nabard has also created a dedicated fund- Tribal Development Fund (TDF) to bring about orchard based development for tribal farmers in various tribal pockets of the country.

The one-acre model of 'Wadi' accommodates around 60 fruit plants (depending on spacing) and 200 forestry plants, providing adequate income and livelihood security under climatic vagaries. So far, 28 Wadi projects in 14 districts of the state with grant assistance of Rs 88.59 crore. These projects would benefit 24400 families and would result in the development of 20,600 acres of tribal land.

Nabard has also identified financing, development and promotion of the rural non-farm sector as one of its thrust areas with focus on capacity building programmes for rural entrepreneurs, like rural entrepreneurship development programmes, skill development programmes and design development programmes. It has set up a dedicated 'Rural Innovation Fund' for promoting rural non-farm sector.

On the occasion of its 30th Foundation Day to be observed on Tuesday, Nabard has reiterated its commitment to the rural prosperity of the state through reduction of rural poverty through increased ground level credit, promotion of agribusiness, strengthening of rural infrastructure, up-scaling of micro finance interventions, creation of livelihoods in the rural non-farm sector.