NABARD’s Chairman Harsh Kumar Bhanwala met Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan here on Friday. During discussions, the Chief Minister said that NABARD should assist in major irrigation projects in the State. Besides, it should also extend technical cooperation and financial assistance for computerisation of cooperative banks in the State.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government can obtain loans worth Rs10,000 crore during next three years, if NABARD reduces interest rate under infrastructure development assistance scheme from 10.57 per cent to 9 per cent.
NABARD should also assist in ongoing computerisation of cooperative societies under Apex Bank and District Cooperative Banks.
NABARD’s Chairman Bhanwala said that Madhya Pradesh has registered unprecedented agriculture growth.
Now, long-term investment and credit flow in
agriculture sectors need to be accelerated. For this, allied sectors like dairy and
horticulture should be paid attention.
He said that NABARD will start skill development project with the cooperation of NIIT at Nasrullahganj in Sehore district.
Secretary to CM Vivek Agrawal and NABARD’s Chief General Manager RN Kulkarni were also present on the occasion.
Earlier, talking to mediapersons, Bhanwala said, “Rs1,925 crore were allocated to MP during the current financial year. Also NABARD provided Rs16,000 crore for 4,100 projects under RIDF scheme during the last 20 years. NABARD also refinanced Rs50,000 crore to regional rural banks and commercial banks in Madhya Pradesh, to the agriculture and non form sector in rural areas of the State.”
He also said, “NABARD will be the partner with Madhya Pradesh Government for giving guidance to producer of Horticulture and Dairy Development. 700 projects have referred to NABARD for the development of agriculture and rural roads,” he added.
Bhanwala also informed that there is a proposal for expending now banking branches in rural areas and NABARD also provided core banking solutions through training and workshops to regional rural bank.
He said, “Under the Dairy development areas based scheme NABARD will be involved in bank finances and forward linkages. NABARD chairman earlier visited the SIP Kolar irrigation project funded by NABARD of Rs145 crore and reviewed the project with the officials of irrigation department,” he added.
