Dr. Harsh Kumar Bhanwala, Chairman, NABARD addressed the 9th Asian Buffalo Congress held at Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes (ICAR-CIRB), Hisar in Haryana on 01 February 2018. Speaking as the Chief Guest at the seminar titled “Climate resilient Buffalo Production for Sustainable Livelihood”, he lauded the efforts of ICAR-CIRB for organizing the Congress. The event, Dr. Bhanwala said, provided a unique opportunity for the Indian scientist fraternity, policymakers, academicians, entrepreneurs and farmers to get the most updated knowledge on different technologies in livestock production, which has the ability to transform buffalo farming in India.
Moreover, Dr. Bhanwala attended a mega credit camp organised by Sarva Haryana Gramin Bank (SHGB) and distributed sanction letters and cheques to the members of self help groups (SHGs) and entrepreneurs financed under priority sector lending. Addressing a large gathering of members of women SHGs and entrepreneurs, he enunciated various interventions of NABARD in bringing unbanked rural masses into banking fold through initiatives like SHG-Bank linkage programme, digitization of records of SHGs under E-Shakti project, financing of landless farmers under JLG mode, etc.
He also flagged off the mobile van sanctioned by NABARD to the Gurgaon Central Cooperative Bank for spreading and deepening financial literacy in the districts of Gurgaon and Nuh. NABARD will be according sanction for such a mobile van to each District Central Cooperative Bank in the State for enhancing awareness about financial inclusion. The van comes fully equipped with an ATM, a micro ATM, a PoS machine, LED TV, space for banking and solar powered back up.
Dr. Bhanwala laid the foundation stone for the NABARD supported Agri Business Incubation Centre (ABIC) in CCSHAU, Hisar in the presence of Haryana Chief Secretary Shri D S Dhesi on 02 February 2018. The ABIC at CCSHAU is one of the first two centres funded by NABARD anywhere in the country – the other being in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. Dr. Bhanwala also delivered the keynote address on the occasion of Foundation Day of CCSHAU.