NE BUSINESS BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 10
The Agriculture Ministry and the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (Nabard) have identified 151 Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACs) in Gujarat, in the first phase, for creation of infrastructure with Nabard’s concessional refinance and providing interest subvention under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF).
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched the Rs.1 lakh crore Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) in virtual mode. During the programme, the Prime Minister also interacted with chiefs of three PACs selected from across the country. Arvind Bhai Tagadia, Chairman of Shree Sanathali Juth Seva Sahakari Mandli Ltd., (affiliated to Rajkot DCB), had the privilege of interacting with the PM on behalf of Gujarat-based PACS.
Union Minister of State, Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare Parshottam Rupala attended the launch programme from NABARD Regional Office, Gujarat. Rupalaji also handed over the‘in principle’ approval letter to Pradip Vora, CEO, GStCB for creation of the infrastructure in 151 PACS under NABARD’s MSC Programme.
Speaking on the occasion, he said that the farmers, PACs, FPOs & farmers’ organisations would come forward to avail of loans from the banking sector under the AIF. Setting-up of agriculture infrastructure would go a long way in not only minimizing post-harvest crop losses but also provide the choice to farmers with respect to marketing of their produce, particularly, quantity, time and price. He stressed on the need for convergence between the AIF & State Government programmes for making various facilities available to farmers.
Speaking during the launch of the Fund, the Prime Minister highlighted that the credit facility available under AIF during 2020-21 is Rs.10,000 crore and an amount of Rs.30,000 crore shall be available during the next three years each. The AIF would also act towards enabling financial credit flow at a reasonable rate of interest to farmers & farmers’ institutions for building Agri infrastructure at the farm level.
Highlighting the benefits of NABARD’s PACS as MSCs (Multi Service Centres) programme, D.K. Mishra, CGM, NABARD, Gujarat, said, “Gujarat is one of the three States in the country which has been selected by the Prime Minister’s Office for formal launch of this fund through Nabard Regional Office of Karnataka. The programme enabled support to PACs for a wide range of activities. The programme shall also be covered under the AIF for post-harvest management related activities.”
Mishra said that Shree Sanathali Juth Seva Sahakari Mandli Ltd., Rajkot, proposes to take up activities such as agro storage, agri information/ service, consumer store, etc., under the PACS as MSC programme.
The function organized at NABARD RO, Ahmedabad, was also attended by Gujarat Minister for Agriculture, Rural Development & Transport R.C. Faldu, Minister of Food & Civil Supplies, & Consumer Affairs Jayeshkumar Radadiya, and NAFSCOB Chairman Dileep Sanghani.
Such initiatives of Govt. of India & NABARD would not only help farmers to realize improved prices and the larger goal of ‘Doubling of Farmers’ Income’ but also help improve sustainability of agricultural operations & make them more ‘atmanirbhar’.
