CS chairs high-powered committee to review NABARD assisted projects, says Rs 55-crore already availed under RIDF, Rs 35-crore coming shortly

CHANDIGARH, JUNE 1

Punjab Chief Secretary, Ms Vini Mahajan, on Tuesday, sought the financial support from NABARD to undertake rural infrastructure development projects in the state during the current fiscal.

She was chairing a high-powered committee meeting here to review the progress of various ongoing NABARD-funded projects in the state.

The Chief Secretary said the state has already prioritised projects to the tune of Rs 1,022 crore for seeking financial assistance from the NABARD under RIDF (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund)-XXVII, while projects with RIDF assistance of almost Rs 800 crore have already been taken up for appraisal by the NABARD. The state has already availed Rs 55 crore under RIDF and Rs 35 crore more will be availed shortly, she disclosed.

While reviewing the progress of ongoing RIDF projects, Ms Mahajan advised all the administrative departments to focus on optimum utilisation of the funds available from the NABARD and accelerate the pace of execution of these projects aiming for maximum withdrawals and speedy completion so that the envisaged benefits could reach the intended beneficiaries.

The administrative departments committed to maximise the withdrawals and undertake the projects in the areas of Education, Irrigation, Water Supply and Sanitation, Public Works (Roads and Bridges), Health, construction of godowns, installation of solar water pumping units, soil and water conservation in the right earnest.

Dr Rajiv Siwach, Chief General Manager, NABARD, apprised the progress of ongoing infrastructure projects in the state and the projects posed by the state for assistance under RIDF-XXVII during the current financial year 2021-22.

Besides the RIDF projects, the progress of projects under micro irrigation fund, warehousing infrastructure funds, dairy development infrastructure funds were also reviewed during the meeting.

The Additional Chief Secretary Development, Principal Secretary Finance and Principal Secretaries, Secretaries, heads of administrative departments and NABARD CGM attended the meeting.