NABARD Sanctions Rs.280.92 Crore for Rural Infrastructure

Development of infrastructure holds the key for attaining faster economic growth, more so for rural economy which needs massive investments in infrastructure sector. Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of NABARD was created to fund completion of ongoing projects and create new projects as well in the rural areas. Over the years, it has become an important source for funding various projects across the State catering to the critical infrastructure needs in the rural areas.

NABARD in its recent meeting held on 20^th February 2015, at its Head Office, Mumbai has sanctioned projects worth Rs.280.92 crore to Government of Odisha under RIDF Tranche XX [2014-15]. With this, the total amount sanctioned to Government of Odisha during the year by NABARD has gone upto Rs.2265.13 crore under RIDF Tranche XX for creation of infrastructure in various sectors such as irrigation, rural connectivity (roads & bridges), fisheries, animal husbandry etc.

This present sanction includes 31 Flood protection/Irrigation System Improvement projects involving assistance of Rs.229.50 crore and 5124 Minor Irrigation projects (5000-Bore well, 79-River Lift, 45-Tube well involving assistance of Rs. 51.42 crore . These Irrigation projects envisage to create/stabilize/develop an irrigation potential of 79422 ha in the state of Odisha.

Cumulatively since inception of RIDF, NABARD has sanctioned Rs.11608 crore to the Government of Odisha for implementing more than 1.97 lakh projects under various sectors such as irrigation, rural connectivity, animal husbandry infrastructure development, Jetties/ Passenger waiting halls for inland waterway transport and rural drinking water supply system etc.

Further, with an objective of development of warehousing facilities in 41 Primary Agriculture Credit Societies (PACS), NABARD has sanctioned an amount of Rs.21.95 crore towards construction of 41 godowns/warehouses of capacities 300MT to 1000MT in 10 districts of the state under Warehouse Infrastructure Fund (WIF): 2014-15. These projects envisages creation of additional storage capacity of 17,300 MT which could be used in storage of agriculture produces of the state.