NABARD's support to Punjab, Haryana up by 32 pc

Chandigarh, Apr 3: NABARD extended a record financial support to the tune of Rs 5,244 crore for agriculture and rural development in states of Punjab and Haryana and Chandigarh Union Territory during 2006-07, marking an increase of 32 per cent over the Rs 3,972 crore made available during 2005-06.

Of the Rs 5,244 crore, Rs 1,467 crore (28 pc) constituted support to commercial, regional rural and co-operative banks towards long term investment loans for capital formation, Rs 3,308 crore (63 pc) for supporting co-operative and regional rural banks to meet the short term credit needs of farmers for carrying out seasonal agricultural operations and Rs 469 crore (9 pc) under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) to Governments of Punjab and Haryana for creation of various rural infrastructure like roads, bridges, irrigation, drinking water supply, etc.

During 2006-07, under RIDF, 44 irrigation projects, 116 roads, three bridges and 460 rural drinking water supply schemes aggregating Rs 8,25.39 crore were sanctioned. When completed, these would bring 64,798 hactres of additional arable land under irrigation, add 873 kms of road and 888 metres of bridges providing connectivity to 1,760 villages with a population of 80 lakh and ensure potable water to 889 villages with a population of 23.41 lakh. Concurrently, these schemes will generate employment of 337.95 lakh mandays.

NABARD administers seven Government of India capital subsidy schemes viz. (i) Development of Agriculture Marketing Infrastructure, (ii) National Programme on Organic Farming, (iii) Water Harvesting Scheme for SC/ ST Farmers, (iv) Technology Upgradation in SSIs, (v) Setting up of Cold Storage, (vi) Setting up of Rural Godowns, and (vii) Venture Capital for Dairy/ Poultry.

During 2006-07, an aggregate subsidy of Rs 11.19 crore had been released in respect of 1,165 cases under these schemes in Punjab and Haryana.

Towards a more inclusive growth, under the self-help groups (SHG)-Bank Linkage Programme being facilitated by NABARD, a total 3261 new SHGs were credit linked in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh during 2006-07.

Similarly, for enlisting people's participation in the delivery and management of credit and rural development, 43 new Farmers' Clubs were launched.

The most notable development during the year was the signing of MOU on February 20, 2007 between Haryana Government on the one hand and Government of India and NABARD on the other for bringing in reforms and revival of short-term co-operative credit structure based on the recommendations of Vaidyanathan Committee. From the year 2007-08, it is expected that this structure in Haryana would play its mandated role in a more effective manner.

Besides, NABARD also took other development initiatives during 2006-07. Notable among them were: (i) opening of two new District Development Offices at Rewari in Haryana and Mansa in Punjab, (ii) introduction of a highly flexible family-centric credit card named Gramin Tatkal Scheme (GTS) and (iii) launching of Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) to support any innovative ventures under farm, non-farm and micro-finance activity in rural areas.

UNI