NABARD Plans to Extend Support of Rs 11000 Crore in Punjab in 2019-20: J P S Bindra

By Samachar Digital News

Chandigarh 19^th September:- NABARD, the apex development financial institution catering to agriculture and rural development has been providing credit support for infrastructure development including long term loans to FIs for capital formation in rural areas, short term agriculture loans to FIs as also grant  support under financial inclusion, farmers/ artisans collectives viz Farmers Producers Organisations, SHGs, JLGs etc. During 2017-18, NABARD Punjab Office had disbursed Rs. 9289 crore to various partners for the Agriculture and rural development in Punjab, as informed by J P S Bindra, CGM, NABARD Punjab Regional Office while addressing the Press on 19September 2019. He further informed that this year NABARD Punjab Regional Office plan to cross the threshold of Rs. 11000 crorefinancial assistance to various stakeholders including the State Govt. 

While interacting with media at NABARD chandigarh office, J P S Bindra said that rural Infrastructure development being the top priority of the State, NABARD has supported various infrastructure projects in the State.  In previous year, NABARD provided assistance of Rs.458.24 crore to State Government under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for creation of critical rural infrastructure facilities with cumulative assistance of Rs. 9026 crore since inception till 31^st March 2019. The cumulative disbursement under RIDF in Punjab has been to the tune of Rs. 6601 Crore till 31^st March 2019. Besides this, NABARD also sanctioned term loan of Rs.27.13 crore to Punjab Agro Industries Corporation Limited (PAICL) for the development of Mega Food Park at Ludhiana and Rs. 317.4 crore under NABARD Infrastructure Development Fund to PSTCL for rejuvenating transmission infrastructure across Punjab during previous years. Under Warehouse Infrastructure Fund NABARD has sanctioned Rs.210 crore to PUNGRAIN for creation of 5 Lakh MT SILOs and Rs.255 crore to PSWC for creation of new godowns as well as rejuvenation and modernization of existing storage infrastructure across Punjab.

He shared that in the state, concentration of heavy metals is increasing leading to high occurrences of cancer. NABARD have sanctioned a project under RIDF for establishment of New State Cancer Institute (SCI) Nuclear Medicine Block and Radiotherapy Block at Govt Medical College, Amritsar and Tertiary Cancer Care Hospital at Fazilka with credit support of Rs.53.50 crores. Further, as preventive measures a project of installments of 555 Reverse Osmosis (RO) plants in 546 villages of 17 districts has also been sanctioned with loan of Rs.76.68 crores.

In the state four major irrigation projects for rehabilitation and increasing the capacity of the major canals for increasing irrigation intensity in the state with TFO of Rs.2761.02 crores with NABARD financial assistance of Rs. 1455.23 crores. Under dedicated Long Term Irrigation Fund. One of the project work highlighting is Shahpurkandi dam.

J P S Bindra informed that State Govt. for utilization of treated water from sewerage treatment plants for irrigation in 13 districts of Punjab with credit support of Rs. 88.95 crore has been provided to the state Government under RIDF.

To boost capital formation in agriculture, NABARD provided refinance of Rs.3749.41 crore to various banks during 2018-19 which shall be increased to Rs. 4000 in the current year. NABARD also proposes to increase the support under short term Refinance during the current year which was Rs. 4506.85 crore during previous year for facilitating disbursement of crop loans at concessional interest rate to the farmers by banks. To encourage diversification of crops, NABARD has prepared Area Development Plans of Rs. 1918 crore for 2018-19 to promote dairy, vegetable cultivation, apiculture, mushroom growing which will supplement farmers’ income.

Besides, infrastructure support to state Government and credit support to financial institutions, NABARD has taken up various development initiatives in the state to educate/ train the rural population.

J P S Bindra indicated that Paddy Straw burning is a big issue in Punjab which results not only in emission of harmful gases like methane, CO₂ and N₂O, but also affects agriculture productivity adversely besides also affecting human and livestocks. A beginning was made by NABARD last year under the aegis of NAFCC, by running an awareness campaign on Crop Residue Management across all 22 districts of the state, covering 11,000 paddy growing villages in 4,000 clusters. The results have been encouraging with an overall 10% decline in the burnt up area under paddy. This year too, the campaign has been launched with the help of our stakeholders to encourage the farmers in abstaining from paddy stubble burning and disseminating information about the available alternatives. Besides this, fund has also provided to Department of Agriculture, Punjab for crop diversification by developing maize clusters in 05 districts where paddy is grown. This year 20 new maize clusters are being promoted in 07 districts.  Another project under NAFCC is being supported by NABARD through PSCST for Climate Resilient Livestock in a 05 year time span in 03 districts viz Ludhiana, Bhatinda and Tarn Taran for a total outlay of Rs. 17.39 cr.

To address the issue of input supply, crop productivity and marketing, NABARD has initiated the process of bringing the farmers together as Farmers Producer Organisation which is a registered entity. In Punjab, we have, so far, promoted 91 FPOs in 19 districts across the State. These FPOs have brought visible change in collectivising the operations of farming of small and marginal farmers. NABARD has also digitized these FPOs which will help them in credit linkage. NABARD will assist eligible FPOs to get credit from banks as also through NABKISAN Finance Ltd, subsidiary of NABARD, the main objective of which is to provide credit for promotion, expansion and commercialization of enterprises engaged in agriculture, allied and rural non-farm activities. 

We had earlier launched Water Campaign in 2017 (JalJeevanHai) in 5000 villages of the State. To take this further, an Integrated Water Management Scheme (IWMS) has been formulated by NABARD to be implemented in two districts namely Ferozpur and Moga, which are identified as Aspirational Districts by GoI where a cluster of 5 villages with an area of about 500 ha in each district will be covered to undertake various soil and water conservation measures, convergence of other schemes and funds.