The Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR), an elected autonomous body in the Bodo-dominated areas of Assam, on Thursday asked the central government-run public financial institution NEDFi to extend support to the priority sectors such as agriculture, rural development, handloom and textiles.

Chief executive member of BTR Pramod Boro also sought NEDFi’s cooperation to accelerate the overall development of the region.

At a meeting with senior officials of NEDFi, Boro asked the public financial institution to support BTR for the welfare of entrepreneurs in priority sectors such as handloom and textiles, horticulture, veterinary, rural development, agriculture and other allied areas, an official statement said.

Boro emphasised the convergence of NEDFi schemes with the ongoing schemes of the BTR for enhancing livelihood avenues at the grassroots level.

He highlighted the systemic changes being implemented by the BTR administration through mission mode programmes in sectors such as piggery, textiles and dairy.

He sought investments from the NEDFi to support various activities outlined in these missions as he explained the need to provide support to farmers and stakeholders at the grassroots level to increase the scope of various schemes.

NEDFi chairman and managing director P.V.S.L.N. Murty pledged the support of the institution towards the development of the entrepreneurial and development landscape of the BTR.

The BTR is an elected autonomous body created under the sixth schedule of the Constitution for the Bodo-dominated areas of Assam.

The NEDFi provides financial assistance to micro, small, medium and large enterprises for setting up industrial, infrastructure and agri-allied projects in the northeastern region and also microfinance through NGOs and others.