From our correspondent
Itagar, March 9: Aruchal Pradesh got a major enhancement in its share under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) with the tiol Bank for Agriculture & Rural Development (BARD) sanctioning Rs 33619.50 lakh for the State during 2017-18 as against the normative allocation of Rs 25,000 lakh earmarked for the current year. This year’s sanction for creation of 27 rural infrastructure projects is over 32 per cent higher than the last year’s sanction for 21 rural infrastructure projects, an official release stated.
The sanctioned fund is for construction of 21 new roads, two rural bridges, and four drinking water supply projects involving the BARD assistance of Rs 27724.50 lakh, 2,250 lakh and 3,645 lakh respectively.
Lauding the BARD’s initiative, Chief Minister Pema Khandu in a statement said the relationship between the State Government and the BARD, particularly during the last one year, has been wonderful.
“Be it fincial support for the creation of rural infrastructure under RIDF, or efforts on fincial inclusion front in the form of launching the first mobile fincial inclusion van in the State, BARD has always been ready to help the State,” Khandu said.
He also appreciated the fincial institution for supporting more than 500 awareness programmes, channelizing subsidy for three flagship programmes of the State Government in addition to other Central Sector Schemes.
Khandu also lauded BARD’s contribution during the pre-budget planning exercise of the State Government to develop the State’s agriculture and allied sectors.
The fincial assistance from BARD under RIDF to Aruchal Pradesh for creation of rural infrastructure started in 1999-2000. With this year’s sanction of Rs 33619.50 lakh, the cumulative sanction from BARD to the State Government under Tranche V (1999-2000) to Tranche XIII (2017-18) has reached Rs 179910.89 lakh for construction of 186 rural infrastructure projects.
The completion of the projects will help the State Government to achieve connectivity of rural road network of 1630.66 km, rural bridges length of 4359.52 metre, 22 projects of drinking water supply, three new schools, four projects of flood protection works, and six 33 KV projects for augmenting the transmission network in the State, the release added.