The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development’s financial support to Odisha has touched Rs 22,709 crore during the financial year 2020-21.

The money has been given to the state government, banks and corporations. On Nabard’s support, the drinking water projects are expected to provide clean and safe drinking water to 25.46 lakh rural population across 3.50 lakh household in 1,335 villages of the state.

“Nabard, Odisha has disbursed Rs 1,700 crore under Special Liquidity Facility (SLF) to Cooperative Banks and Micro Finance Institutions (MFIs) during covid-pandemic,” said a press release issued by Nabard.

It further said to promote capital formation in agriculture and allied sectors, Nabard disbursed long term refinance of Rs 1,551.85 crore to commercial banks, Odisha State Cooperative Bank and MFI during the year. “During the finance year 2020-21, refinance for short term crop loans to the tune of Rs 12,193 crore was disbursed to Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs),” the release said.

Nabard has sanctioned Rs 3234.25 crore to Odisha under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) tranche on building agricultural and rural infrastructure.

“This sanction includes 2,510 Community Based Lift irrigation Projects under Bharatiya Kaushal Vikash Yojana (BKVY) scheme, 11 Megalift schemes, 74 rural bridge projects, seven mega piped water supply projects, eight Flood Protection and one System Improvement Project. These irrigation projects are envisaged to create/stabilise/develop an irrigation potential of 97256 ha in the state of Odisha apart from bridge projects to provide the necessary rural connectivity,” said the press release