The NABARD recently sanctioned Rs 143.85 crore to the State Government under the XIX Tranche of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for eight rural roads, one bridge, eight drainage and flood protection projects and 160 lift irrigation (lI) projects under the Biju Krishak Vikas Yojana (BKVY).
These projects envisage construction of 92.05 km roads and more than 748.52 meters of bridges and irrigation of 3,472 hectares through the lI projects. An area of 61,535 hectares is likely to benefit from the drainage and flood projects, to be implemented over a period of next 2-3 years. People from 12 districts will avail the benefit.
Notably, for 2013-14, NABARD has agreed upon a normative allocation of Rs 1,000 crore to the State. Taking into account the current sanction of Rs143.85 crore, NABARD’s cumulative sanction of RIDF assistance to the State Government has gone up to Rs 8,325.06 crore, involving 1, 74, 091 projects in various sectors, including irrigation, rural connectivity (roads and bridges), animal husbandry infrastructure development and rural markets, etc since the inception of the RIDF in NABARD in 1994-95. NABARD’s RIDF has been an important source for funding various projects across the State catering to the critical infrastructure needs in the rural areas.