The
78th Independence Day was celebrated at the Head Office on August 15, 2024,
with great enthusiasm and fervour. The office premises were adorned with
elaborate lighting, decorations, and floral arrangements, creating an
atmosphere of celebration.
Upon
arrival, Shri G S Rawat and Shri A. K. Sood, Deputy Managing Directors of
NABARD, were welcomed with a Guard of Honour. The event was attended by the
bank’s serving and retired staff, along with their family members.
Both
the DMDs together hoisted the national flag. The staff members then assembled in the auditorium where the
DMDs addressed the audience.
Shri A.K. Sood, DMD, in his address, highlighted NABARD's
significant contributions over the years. He noted that NABARD has played a
pivotal role in achieving national milestones and fulfilling its original
mandate. He underscored NABARD's pioneering efforts in microfinance through the
SHG-Bank linkage program, its provision of rural infrastructure finance to
state governments, and its policy-level inputs on agriculture and rural
finance. Shri Sood also introduced NABARD’s plan to conduct a bimonthly rural
sentiment survey to inform and reorient policy-making in the agriculture
sector. He encouraged the staff to embrace greater technology adoption and to
transition from facilitators to implementers.
Shri G.S. Rawat, DMD, spoke about Independence Day as a
time to honor our freedom fighters and draw inspiration from their ideals to
responsibly achieve our goals. He reflected on NABARD's 44-year history of
addressing agriculture and rural development challenges, noting the significant
impact made. However, he emphasized the emerging challenge of climate change,
which threatens to disproportionately affect the livelihoods of the poor. Shri
Rawat assured that NABARD is taking proactive steps to tackle climate change
and innovate solutions. He highlighted the continued importance of cooperatives
in supporting poor rural households and reaffirmed NABARD's commitment to
enhancing their performance. Acknowledging the staff's honesty and dedication,
he stressed the need for acquiring new skills and engaging effectively with
social media, given its growing relevance. He concluded by emphasizing that the
Government of India has high expectations from NABARD, and we must strive to
meet them with excellence.
Following
the DMD’s address, the staff members of NABARD organized a captivating performance.
The DMD’s interacted with the performers, offering words of encouragement for
their efforts.
The
memorable celebration of 78th Independence day ended with the Vote
of thanks by the CGM DPSP Shri P K Bhardwaj . The event concluded with light
refreshments.