Bhopal: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) chairman Dr GR Chintala said here on Thursday that the bank had disbursed credit limit of Rs 55759 crore towards crop loan covering more than 71 lakh farmers during last few years in Madhya Pradesh.
Talking to media persons during his six-day visit to the state Dr Chintala said, "Also, since inception, NABARD has provided long term refinance support of Rs 24526 crore for activities like animal husbandry, dairy, fisheries, food processing, storage, godowns, farm mechanisation and non-farm sector activities."
He said NABARD in Madhya Pradesh had funded and supported in creation of 17,349 Km rural roads, bridges and 158.84 mw power plants etc.
NABARD also supported state government to build irrigation infrastructure under RIDF/LTIF. This resulted in creation of an irrigation potential of 3409151 hectare benefitting around 15141 villages.He said around 30 lakh metric tonnes warehousing capacity had been created under various infrastructure funds of the bank in the state. Besides, 74.68 lakh metric tonne capacity had been created through government sponsored scheme, subsidies of which was channelised through the bank.
He said, "To promote financial inclusion of rural people, NABARD has supported 15000 financial and digital literacy (FiDgi) programmes and 398 nukkad nataks to 23 banks (including commercial banks /RRBs / cooperative banks/ small finance and payment banks covering 6 lakh participants to give a boost to financial literacy and financial awareness. The outcome was opening up of 3 lakh new saving / FD/ RD/ BSBD accounts and issuance of 26000 debit cards and 24000 Rupay KCC and enrolment of 1.40 lakh rural people in social security schemes.
He said NABARD was also providing support under financial inclusion fund to 78 financial literacy centres in Madhya Pradesh.
On food processing: On food processing infrastructure, he said, NABARD funded Avantee Mega Food Park, Nimar Agro Processing Cluster in the State, which have world-class technologies in the field of food processing. Direct-indirect employment to over 10,000 persons was generated along with value addition to the primary agriculture produce.
On Social infrastructure: Under social Infrastructure 348 hospitals/primary health centres, drinking water projects with 375 mld benefitting 35 lakh households, 70 industrial training institutes and severalanganwadi centres were funded.
Credit needs of more than 4 lakh women met
Underlining various achievements of the bank the NABARD chairman said, "Credit needs of more than 4 lakh women was met through formation of 46750 self help groups (SHGs) under our SHG-BLP programme which enabled them to access bank credit, instilled credit discipline, empowered their social /economic status in the society and facilitated their livelihood. Of the total formed SHGs, 24379 are credit linked so far. As many as 300 livelihood skill development- training programmes have been implemented in Madhya Pradesh benefitting more than 20000 women to take up income generating activities.