No.276/2021-2022

Aizawl 4th September 2021: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) conducted a Capacity Building Workshop on Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for officials of line departments at DC’s Conference Hall, Lunglei yesterday.

Shri Kulothungan A, IAS, Deputy Commissioner, chaired the workshop and guided the deliberations. Thanking NABARD for their various developmental initiatives in the District, he encouraged officials of line departments present to make full use of the workshop to understand the mechanism of RIDF so as to utilize it to the maximum for rural infrastructure development in the District. He also advised the implementing departments to proactively take necessary steps for smooth implementation and on time completion of RIDF projects.

The workshop saw participation from district level heads and officials of Public Work Department (PWD), Public Health Engineering Department (PHED), Irrigation & Water Resources, District Education Office, Fisheries, Sericulture, AH & Veterinary, Commerce & Industries, Chief Medical Office, District Industries Centre (DIC), Land Resources, Soil & Water Conservations, Agriculture, Horticulture, I&PR and Lead District Manager (LDM).

Shri Evan T Munsong, DDM, NABARD gave a detailed presentation on RIDF and overview of infrastructure development through RIDF in Lunglei District. In Lunglei district, 30 ongoing projects, involving RIDF loan assistance of Rs.39.95 crore, are under implementation by various departments.

A summary of department-wise projects in Lunglei District is as under:

Besides, there are projects which have recently achieved financial completion as per records of NABARD, such as:

a)     Integrated Veterinary & AH Training Institute, Lungpuizawl, involving RIDF loan assistance of Rs.2.03 crore, under AH & Vety Department;

b)     Construction of Govt Hatchery and Broiler Poultry Farm, Lungpuizawl, involving RIDF loan assistance of Rs.4.91 crore, under AH & Vety Department;

c)      Construction of District Veterinary Hospital, Lunglei, involving RIDF loan assistance of Rs.0.85 crore, under AH & Vety Department;

d)     Construction of Agri-Marketing & Training Infrastructure, involving RIDF loan assistance of Rs.10.26 crore, under Commerce & Industries Department;

e)     N. Mualthuam Water Supply Scheme (Solar Pumping), involving RIDF loan assistance of Rs.1.57 crore, under PHED;

f)       Minor Irrigation projects, etc.

Government of India created the RIDF in NABARD in 1995-96, with an initial corpus of Rs.2,000 crore. With allocations in every Union Budget since its inception, RIDF has evolved into an important funding mechanism for State Governments and supported building of critical rural infrastructure projects. This long-term partnership between NABARD and State Government has strengthened over more than two decades. With the allocation of Rs.40,000 crore for the current FY 2021-22 (under RIDF XXVII), the cumulative allocation has reached Rs.4,18,022 crore.

In Mizoram, RIDF has touched the lives of the rural people through creation of various infrastructure projects sanctioned to the Government of Mizoram. So far, 641 projects, covering rural roads and bridges, minor irrigation projects, mini hydro power projects and projects under agriculture and allied sector, including marketing infrastructure, aggregating RIDF loan assistance of Rs.1596.35 crore have been sanctioned to the Government of Mizoram.