Bhubaneswar: Nabard’s developmental financial assistance in Odisha has crossed the Rs10,000 crore mark before the end of the 3rd quarter of the current financial year. The Nabard’s financial assistant to the state during the whole year of 2016-17  was Rs14,715crore.

By the end of this fiscal, the Nabard financing to the state would be more  than the last fiscal, said the Nabard chief general manager, Dr.KC Panigrahi.

Under refinance channel, Nabard has so far extended Rs4861 crore to the cooperative banks for production of crops by about 3 million farmers in the state. Under Long Term Refinance, banks have availed credit support of Rs624 crore, which have facilitated creation of private sector farm assets.

For infrastructure creation, Nabard extended financial support to the tune of Rs 2118 crore to the state government for creation of rural infrastructure like rural roads & bridges, lift irrigation projects, rural piped drinking water project, warehousing and irrigation structures . Since inception of Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) in 1995-96, Nabard has sanctioned cumulative financial assistance of about Rs19,950 crore to the state government resulting in implementation of about 2.24 lakh projects. As an impact, road of about 9700 KM, bridge of about 1.20 lakh meter and irrigation in 27.61 lakh Ha land have been created in the state out of RIDF funds.

Of late, Nabard has started extending credit support to the OSCSC (Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation) for procurement of paddy from the farmers in the state. Till date, Nabard has extended financial assistance of Rs 3085 crore during the current FY.

Nabard is implementing 51 wadi projects under Tribal Development Fund and 108 watersheds under its Watershed Development Programme, thereby benefitting about 30,000 tribal families and 51,000 rural families in the state, respectively. Under climate change, Nabard is implementing a project under NAF (National Adaptation Fund) in Nuapada district and the maiden project sanctioned under GCF (Green Climate Fund) is being implemented in 15 vulnerable districts of the state.

During the current FY, Nabard has been instrumental in giving linkage of 63731 SHGs and 37852 JLGs in Odisha.