The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), India’s apex rural development financial institution, has extended record developmental assistance of Rs 5,830 crores to Jharkhand during the financial year 2024-25.
This unprecedented support has significantly catalysed rural infrastructure development, livelihood promotion, institutional strengthening, and financial inclusion in the State.
Jharkhand's Rural Financial Institutions (RFIs) collectively availed Rs 105 crore as concessional refinance from NABARD in 2018-19. The State has witnessed 20 times increase in long-term refinance, with total disbursements touching Rs 2701 crore for the 2024-25. The lion’s share of this support was availed by Jharkhand Rajya Gramin Bank and Jharkhand State Cooperative Bank, amounting to Rs 2143 crores, enabling enhanced agricultural and rural lending.
Rural Infrastructure Development
Under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF), NABARD extended Rs 1988 crores to the Government of Jharkhand for critical infrastructure projects. Major interventions included two mega lift irrigation projects in Giridih and Palamau districts, targeting the creation of irrigation potential over 28,500 hectares. Additional projects sanctioned include 396 rural godowns and marketing centres, 211 rural bridges and 19 safe drinking water supply projects.
These initiatives are expected to significantly improve irrigation coverage, rural connectivity, sanitation, health and education outcomes.
NABARD has so far promoted 244 Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs) across Jharkhand, directly impacting the livelihoods of over two lakh farmers by improving market access and input supplies. Of these, 53 FPCs have been on boarded onto the Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) platform, opening avenues for e-commerce participation.
To bolster the outreach and efficiency of Primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies (PACS), NABARD has completed Phase I of computerisation of 1500 PACS, including the development of 281 ePACS. This initiative aims to enhance transparency, service delivery, and digital inclusion at the grassroots.In the coming financial year, the remaining 2871 PACS will be computerised.
With tribals forming 26 per centof the State’s population, NABARD is implementing 61 tribal development projects, impacting over 40,000 tribal families through orchard-based livelihoods and other sustainable activities. Two new tribal projects were sanctioned in 24-25, reaffirming NABARD’s commitment to inclusive development.
Recognising the importance of soil and water conservation, NABARD is currently implementing 51 watershed development projects, covering 58,500 hectares and benefitting more than 50,000 rural families, with long-term benefits to agricultural productivity and climate resilience.
Priority areas for NABARD Jharkhand regional office in 2025-26 are financial Inclusion, credit Access for tenant farmers, strengthening of the rural financial institution, venture capital and start-up financing, rural MSME, digital Innovation and use of technology in agriculture, climate resilient agriculture, sustainable agriculture, support for strengthening rural infrastructure, natural farming, watershed and tribal development programme, lac value chain and tasar value chain.
