NABARD by virtue of its Financial, Developmental and Supervisory role is touching almost every aspect of rural economy, including providing refinance support, building rural infrastructure, preparing district level credit plans, guiding and motivating the banking industry in achieving credit targets, supervising Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks, helping banks to develop sound banking practices, enabling them to on-board to the CBS platform, designing new projects for rural development, implementing GoI's development schemes, training handicraft artisans and providing them a marketing platform for selling their articles, etc.

A) FINANCIAL FUNCTIONS

Refinance

NABARD disbursed Rs.152136 crore and Rs.116136 crore for supporting ST and LT financing by banks, respectively, during the year 2021-22 (This includes Special Liquidity Facility Finance provided to banks).

NABARD provides by way of refinance, loans and advances repayable on demand or on the expiry of fixed period not exceeding 12 months, to Cooperative Banks and Regional Rural Banks for production, marketing and procurement activities. The basic objective of short-term refinance provision is to supplement the resources of banks and to improve credit flow at the ground level.

NABARD provides long-term and medium-term refinance to the various institutions to supplement their resources for providing adequate credit for supporting investment activities of farmers and rural artisans, etc.

Short Term Loans

Crop loans are extended to farmers for crop production by financial institutions, which support in ensuring food security in the country. During the year 2021-22, NABARD has disbursed Rs.55695 crore for Seasonal Agricultural Operations, Rs.67818 crore for Additional Seasonal Agricultural Operations and Rs.28590 crore for other than seasonal agriculture operations to Cooperative Banks and RRBs.

NABARD has also extended an amount of Rs.33 crore as refinance assistance to SFBs.

Long Term Loans

NABARD's long-term refinance provides credit to financial institutions for a wide gamut of activities encompassing farm and non-farm activities with tenor of 18 months to more than 5 years. During the year 2021-22, NABARD has disbursed Rs. 116136 crore to financial institutions.

In order to provide boost to agriculture & rural sector post Covid period, NABARD introduced 4 special refinance schemes viz. Scheme for PACS as MSC, Scheme for beneficiaries of the watershed as well as Wadi project areas, Scheme for Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) and Scheme for Micro Food Processing activities.

Government of India has set up LTRCF with NABARD for providing long term refinance support for investment credit in agriculture activities exclusively for Cooperative Banks (State Cooperative Banks and State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs). During the year 2021-22, an amount of Rs.15190 crore was disbursed under the fund.

Special Liquidity Facility

During 2021-22 NABARD has disbursed Rs.24399 crore as Special Liquidity Facility – 2 out of which Rs.15053 crore was disbursed to Cooperative Banks, Rs. 7746 crore was disbursed to RRBs and Rs.1600 crore to NBFC-mFIs to ensure unhindered flow of credit to farmers during the Covid -19 pandemic. NABARD has also provided Additional SLF of Rs.150 crore to small NBFC-mFIs to address their liquidity crunch.

Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)

RIDF was set up with NABARD in 1995-96 by the Reserve Bank of India out of the shortfall in lending to priority sector by scheduled commercial banks for supporting rural infrastructure projects. NABARD disbursed Rs.33883 crore during 2021-22 under RIDF which contributes substantially to the rural infrastructure funding in the country today.

Long-Term Irrigation Fund

• Long Term Irrigation Fund (LTIF) was announced in the Union Budget 2016–17 for fast tracking completion of 99 identified Medium and Major Irrigation projects, as identified by Ministry of Jal Shakti (nodal Ministry under the fund), GoI. The projects were spread across 18 States. Subsequently, 04 more projects, viz., Polavaram project in Andhra Pradesh, North Koel project in Bihar & Jharkhand, Relining of Sirhind & Rajasthan Feeders and Shahpur Kandi Dam in Punjab were included under LTIF.
• Under LTIF, NABARD has provided loan towards Central share as well as State share. Loan towards Central share has been extended to NWDA, a SPV of GoI whereas the State share has been extended to participating State Governments.
• During 2021-22, loan amount of ? 800.78 crore was sanctioned and Rs.3196.97 crore was released under LTIF. Cumulative loan sanctioned and released as at the end of 31 March 2022 stood at Rs.85, 127.38 crore and Rs.55,676.68 crore respectively.
• The LTIF funding arrangement, which was in operation upto 31 March 2021, has since been continued upto FY 2025-26 towards State share only for the ongoing projects (60 AIBP and 85 CAD&WM projects as on 31 March 2021). The Central share requirement is to be met through budgetary resources of GoI.

Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF)

• MIF with an initial corpus of Rs.5000 crore was operationalized in NABARD in 2019-20 to facilitate State Govts. efforts in mobilizing additional resources for expanding coverage under micro irrigation and incentivizing its adoption beyond provisions of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana-Per Drop More Crop. The nodal Ministry under the fund is the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (MoA&FW), GoI.
• During 2021-22, loan amount of Rs.256.24 crore was released under MIF. No loan amount was sanctioned during the period.
• The cumulative sanctions and releases as on 31st March 2022 stood at ?3970.17 crores and ? 2083.72 crore, respectively.
• MIF funding arrangement for the initial corpus of ?5000 crore is in operation upto 31 March 2023.

NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance (NIDA)

NABARD Infrastructure Development Assistance (NIDA) offers flexible long-term loans to well-managed public sector entities for financing rural infrastructure. Projects for agriculture infrastructure, rural connectivity, renewable energy, power transmission, drinking water and sanitation, and other social and commercial infrastructure are financed under NIDA. Inclusion of public–private partnership (PPP) and non-PPP projects to be undertaken by registered entities like corporates/companies, cooperatives, etc. has further broadened NIDA’s scope of funding. Financing under NIDA offers scope for off-budget and on-budget borrowing to state governments and aids in easing state budget constraints.

During the year 2021–22, term loan of ? 8125.27 Cr. was sanctioned under NIDA through 13 credit proposals constituting 08 Rural educational institution projects (53.69 %; Rs. 4363.03 Cr), 01 irrigation project (25.24%; Rs.2051.14 Cr.), 03 Rural connectivity projects (14.35%; Rs.1166.70 Cr) and 01 Transmission project (6.70%; Rs.544.40 Cr.) The total disbursements made during the year were Rs.7136.26 crore.

The benefits derived from various NIDA projects since inception are as follows:

Direct Refinance Assistance to DCCBs for Short-Term Multipurpose Credit (DRA)

NABARD has been providing ST refinance to StCBs for on-lending to District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs) for various purposes. Direct refinance assistance to DCCBs is an additional line of credit for diversification of lending and enhancing their earnings through profitable portfolios. The credit limit is sanctioned to well-governed and financially strong ‘A’ or ‘B’ rated StCBs or DCCBs, as per the latest inspection report of NABARD. The purpose of the loan covers inter alia working capital, repair and maintenance of farm equipment and other productive assets, storage/grading/packaging of produce, marketing activities, non-farm activities, etc. The limit is in the nature of cash-credit, operative for one year from the date of sanction. The limit is also available for a period of three months to meet the specific requirements of banks.

Sanctions under DRA, registered growth of around 56% i.e. from Rs. 11890 crore in FY 2020-21 to Rs. 18521.00 crore during FY 2021-22. The disbursements under DRA has increased by 138% from Rs. 7373.49 crore during FY 2020-21 to Rs.17573.67 crore during FY 2021-22.

Credit Facility to Federations (CFF)

Credit facility to Federations (CFF) provides short-term credit support to state government entities like agricultural marketing federations, civil supply corporations, dairy cooperatives, /milk unions or federations etc., for procurement, processing and marketing of agricultural commodities, input supply, and value and supply chain management. Under this facility, credit support is made available for procurement of food grains, pulses and oilseeds and other agricultural commodities like milk. The facility is also available for procurement and marketing of agricultural inputs like seed and fertilizer. This facility is extended as short-term loan for a period of twelve months and another product in the nature of a very short-term loan for three months to meet the specific requirements of the agencies.

Sanctions under CFF were made to 12 agencies during 2021-22 with a credit limit sanction of Rs. 36435.80 crore and disbursement of Rs. 46434.31 crore. The loan outstanding position as on 31 March 2022 was 11.36% more than the position as on 31 March 2021.

Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF)

In accordance with its announcement in the Union Budget 2017–18, Government of India created a Dairy Processing and Infrastructure Development Fund (DIDF) in NABARD, with a total corpus of Rs. 8004 crore to be utilised over a period of five years. The objectives of the scheme are modernisation and infrastructure augmentation for milk processing and value addition, and to ensure optimum price realisation by the primary producers. It envisages creation of Modernization, expansion and creation of Milk Processing capacity of 12.6 million litres per day (MLPD, milk powder processing capacity of 210 million tonnes per day (MTPD), and other infrastructure facilities during the implementation period.

During the FY 2021-22, sanctions to the tune of Rs.364.00 crore were made to NDDB (5 milk unions) and NCDC (1 milk union). The total disbursements made during the year were Rs.118.66 crore.

Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF)

In line with its announcement in the Union Budget 2018–19, Government of India created the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund (FIDF) with a total corpus of Rs.7,522.48 crore to be implemented over a period of five years. NABARD will fund the public infrastructure components to the State Governments to the tune of about Rs.2600 crore for various facilities like fishing harbours, fish landing centres, modernized State fish seed farms, modern fish markets, disease diagnostic laboratories, aquatic quarantine facilities and training infrastructure.

During the FY 2021-22, sanctions to the tune of Rs. 912.28 crore were made to Tamil Nadu (28 Projects), Goa (1 Project), Gujarat (3 Projects) and West Bengal (3 projects) State Governments. The total disbursements made during the year were Rs.171.93.

Rural Infrastructure Assistance to State Governments (RIAS)

NABARD has launched a new product “Rural Infrastructure Assistance to State Governments (RIAS)” with an initial corpus of Rs. 15000 crore. Under RIAS, NABARD will provide financial assistance to State Governments in Eastern Region, for creating infrastructure that supports rural livelihoods, hinging on 5-J approach – Jan (human being), Jal (Water), Jameen (land), Janwar (livestock) & Jungle (forest).

Warehouse Infrastructure Fund

Government of India created Warehouse Infrastructure Fund (WIF) in the year 2013-14 with NABARD with a corpus of Rs.5,000 crore and Rs.5000 crore in 2014-15 for providing loans to meet the requirements for scientific warehousing infrastructure for agricultural commodities in the country. The cumulative disbursement as on 31 March 2022 stood at Rs.8,214.31 crores.

Food Processing Fund

With a view to promoting food processing industries in the organised sector on a cluster basis, the Government of India instituted the Food Processing Fund (FPF) in NABARD in 2014–15, with a corpus of Rs.2,000 crore. NABARD sanctioned Rs.106.61 crore under Food Processing Fund during 2021-22 taking the cumulative loan sanctioned to Rs.781.07 crore for 14 Mega Food Park (MFP) projects, 8 Agro Processing Clusters and 13 Food Processing Units as on 31 March 2022. During the year, Rs.111.32 crore was disbursed, taking the cumulative disbursements to Rs.520.70 crore for the sanctioned projects.

Geo Tagging of Warehouses

NABARD took on the onus of creating a web based Agri-Storage Information System, which not only captures the details of the infrastructure but also captures the Geo-spatial coordinates. The project of Geo Tagging of warehouses (dry & wet) was started as a pilot in two States (Haryana and Tamil Nadu) and the work was taken up by NABCONS, our consultancy arm. Meanwhile, the Union Budget 2020 outlined a 16 point Action Plan for achieving the goal of “Doubling of Farmers’ Income by 2022” that included undertaking an exercise to map and geotag agri-warehousing, cold storage, refer van facilities by NABARD.

The survey was initiated in the month of November 2020 and is completed by August 2021.

The progress of geotagging work is as under:

The Farmers APP (KisanBhandar) has been developed for both Android and IOS supporting devices which will be used by Farmers/Traders/Producers to locate the geotagged assets in the vicinity. The APP will be launched by Government of India and thereafter users can download it from Google Play Store and Apple Store.

B) SUPERVISORY FUNCTIONS

For the FY 2021-22, 322 statutory inspections and 9 voluntary inspections were scheduled with reference to the financial position of banks/ other institutions as on March 31, 2021. The details are as under:-

Inspection budgeted and conducted – 2021-22:

C) Developmental Functions

Watershed Development

Cumulatively, as on 31 March 2022, against 3557 watershed development projects sanctioned covering total project area of 25.65 lakh ha, 2,546 projects have been completed successfully. Grant assistance committed under all programmes stood at Rs.2589.26 crore, out of which an amount of Rs.2014.28 crore has been disbursed.

Tribal Development

Tribal Development Fund (TDF) was set up by NABARD in the year 2003-04 with a corpus of Rs.50 crore out of its profit. As on 31 March 2022, a total of 899 projects benefitting 5.85 lakh families spread across 5.53 lakh acre area have been sanctioned. Cumulative sanction and disbursement stood at Rs.2545 crore and Rs.1802 crore respectively.

Climate Change Adaptation Projects

Under Adaptation Fund, the cumulative sanction for six projects and two Readiness Grant stood at USD 9.94 million (Rs.60.95 crore). NABARD has facilitated sanctioning of two projects with total outlay at USD 134.35 million (Rs.944.20 crore) under Green Climate Fund.

We have also cumulatively sanctioned 30 projects under NAFCC amounting to Rs.847.47 crore at the end of FY 2021-22. NABARD disbursed an amount of Rs.1.74 crore during 2021-22 under Climate change fund for promoting and supporting activities aimed at addressing climate change impacts, adaptation and mitigation measures, awareness generation, knowledge sharing and for facilitating sustainable development.

Umbrella Programme on Natural Resource Management

Cumulatively 334 UPNRM projects have been sanctioned across the country covering 10 major natural resource management sectors with a financial assistance of Rs.783.91 crore including grant assistance of Rs.45.38 crore. The cumulative disbursement as on 31 March 2022 stood at Rs.577.95 crore including grant assistance of Rs.32.13 crore.

Financial Inclusion

As on 31 March 2022, a cumulative amount of Rs.5013.91 crore was sanctioned and an amount of Rs.2804.57 crore was disbursed towards various schemes implemented under FIF (Financial Inclusion Fund) by generating demand for banking services and building payment/acceptance infrastructure at the ground level. To bridge the gap between the demand and supply side of FI, under differentiated strategy adopted to address the regional disparities and to bring about inclusive and equitable financial inclusion across the country since 2019, grant assistance was extended at an enhanced rate of 90% in 358 Special Focus Districts which includes aspirational districts, LWE districts, Credit Deficient Districts, Lakshadweep, Andaman and Nicobar Island and districts in Hilly states and NER.

Microfinance Sector

NABARD had launched the Self Help Group-Bank Linkage Programme (SHG-BLP) in 1992. The programme has empowered 118.93 lakh Self Help Groups (SHGs) and 14.2 crore rural households in India as on 31 March 2022. Nearly 33.98 lakh SHGs availed credit support of Rs.997.29 crore from various banks during 2020-21, at an average of Rs.2.93 lakh per SHG. 54.08 lakh JLGs were promoted and financed by banks during 2021-22.

EShakti

Government of India launched “Digital India” mission to transform India into a digitally empowered society and knowledge economy. Aligning with the initiatives of Government of India, NABARD launched Project EShakti, a pilot project for digitization of SHG data in March 2015 in two districts i.e. Ramgarh (Jharkhand) and Dhule (Maharashtra). The project was expanded in phases to 281 districts. The project aims at digitization of SHG data for enhancing banks’ ease of doing business with SHGs through a ‘one-click’ availability of the financial and non-financial profiles of the Self Help Groups maintaining Saving Bank accounts with banks. Now the project is running in 130 districts under Focused Approach.

As on 31 March 2022, data pertaining to 12.74 lakh SHGs involving 146 lakh members in more than 1.73 lakh villages of 281 districts have been on-boarded in EShakti portal.

SHG based Livelihood Interventions

For stimulating micro entrepreneurship movement NABARD has launched two skill building and capacity building programmes viz., Micro Enterprise Development Programme (MEDP) and Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP). As on 31 March 2022, 5.47 lakh SHG members were trained through 19,203 MEDPs since 2006 with total sanctioned grant support of Rs.42 crore. As on 31 March 2022, more than 1.83 lakh SHG members have been supported through 1641 LEDPs with grant sanction of Rs.77 crore.

Skill Development

In tune with GoI’s goal, NABARD has developed a structured approach for addressing the skill gap in rural India through demand and outcome-based programmes through multiple stakeholders in skill development ecosystem leading to wage/self-employment. NABARD considers projects where the implementing agencies ensure a minimum settlement rate of 60%(Job placement or self employment). The projects are linked to outcome and portal driven(ww.nabskillnabard.com). NABARD has collaborated with CSR wing of Corporates like Tata Strive, Ambuja Cement Foundation, Lupin Human Welfare Research Foundation J & K Trust etc., for training of rural youth and their placement.

During 2021-22, Rs. 11.83 crore has been sanctioned for skill development of 15,966 rural youth across India. A total of 6230 rural youth were trained during 2021-22 across various trades through 234 skill development programmes.

OFPO

In order to organise artisans and weavers from off farm activity clusters into a formal registered entity as also to support producers take up collective business through capacity building, business planning, market linkages, design development etc, a scheme for formation and nurturing of Off Farm Producer Organisations (OFPOs) was initiated during the year 2016-17. Under this Scheme, support is extended to an eligible entity to act as Producer Organisation Promoting Institution to mobilise rural off farm producers for undertaking business collectively so as to enable scale as well as better bargaining power, facilities and opportunities of business.

As on 31 March 2022, 58 OFPOs covering around 18044 beneficiaries have been supported with grant assistance of Rs. 29.31 crore across 24 states. Of these, 45 OFPOs have been registered under Companies Act, 2013 or Societies Act and are undertaking business activities through aggregation, marketing and input distribution. Sixteen OFPOs are all-women OFPOs and are expected to empower 6490 women weavers and artisans directly.

The OFPOs are registering good amount of sales turnover and benefitting to the artisans and weavers. To quote few examples, Godavari Weavers Producer Company and Sri Balaji Wood Carving Artisans Mutually Aided Cooperative Company in Andhra Pradesh, Chitraka Artisan Producer Company Limited in Telangana, Ramlai Handloom Producers Organisation in Mizoram, Dunguripalli Banakara Producer Company Ltd., in Orissa have recorded an turnover of more than one crore in the year 2021-22.

Marketing Initiatives

To support rural producers in the farm and off-farm sector to market their produce effectively, NABARD has been extending support for setting up of Rural Haats, Rural Marts and participation of artisans and craftsmen in national and regional level exhibitions and melas.

Rural Haats

Rural Haats have been vital to the lives of rural communities by providing them accessible market place to buy and sell their farm and off-farm produce. Rural Haats have emerged as an effective marketing link for Producer Organizations, Village Watershed and Tribal Development Committees. NABARD support to Rural Haats is towards infrastructure creation like raised platforms, roofing, drinking water facility, sanitation, etc. During 2021-22, 69 Rural Haats have been sanctioned with grant support of Rs. 9.24 crore.

Rural Marts

Rural Marts help to promote entrepreneurship amongst producer communities and provide market link for domestic products manufactured by rural community particularly women and weaker sections. They help in generating income and employment at grassroot level. During 2021-22, 148 Rural Marts (out of which 84 were mobile vans) have been sanctioned with a grant support of Rs. 6.70 crores.

Exhibitions/Melas

Exhibitions and Melas provide a direct marketing platform to the artisans with access to market intelligence, customer preferences and bulk orders. Participation in these melas empowers the artisans to face the challenges in doing business.

During 2021-22, 60 exhibitions were conducted/supported with a grant support of Rs. 4.58 crores.

During the course of exhibitions, initiatives are taken to empower the participating producers by organizing Buyer-Seller Meets, conducting training programmes and workshops on branding, marketing, packaging, effective communication and entrepreneurship development, promoting financial inclusion and digital payment mechanisms.

Projects in DPR Mode

NABARD extends support for development projects in the off farm sector, which are not covered under the existing schemes in DPR mode. Support is extended for promotion and upscaling of innovative projects, promotion of off farm value chains, upgradation of innovations to business level, etc. During 2021-22, 13 projects were sanctioned under the scheme with grant assistance of Rs.3.6 crores. Some of the projects like Looms of Ladakh in Ladakh, Fish Solar Dryer in Tamil Nadu and Rural Home Stay in Namsai, Arunachal Pradesh have succeeded in accruing benefit to the community.

Rural Business Incubation Centres (RBICs)

In order to develop a supportive ecosystem for agri entrepreneurs NABARD started supporting setting up of Rural Business Incubation centre in 2017-18. The policy envisaged extending support to eligible institutions like agriculture universities and other reputed institutions (Host Institution) for setting up RBICs and meet the eligible operational expenditure for functioning for a period of five years. It is a step towards promoting more agri startups, agri and rural entrepreneurs and enterprises. The institutions so far supported for setting up independent Rural Business Incubation Centres are as given below:

The RBICs supported will nurture start- ups, agri enterprises, entrepreneurs, farmers, Farmer Producer Organisations, etc., working in various areas such as irrigation, seed production, bio- pesticides, bio fertilizers, precision farming, agro-processing, marketing, bio fuel, drinking water, sanitation, energy, health, education, etc. The RBICs will provide business support services and resources, marketing, finance to agri-startups and agri-entrepreneurs to develop them into viable commercial entities which will result in both direct and indirect benefits accruing to the farmers. These Incubation Centres have supported 1071 incubatees resulting in registration of 183 start-ups with DPIIT.

Catalytic Capital Fund

In India, most of the agri based start-ups face challenges with respect to funding sources. These start-ups which have innovative enterprises, early stage technology, innovative products or process innovations, supply chain innovations or business model innovations struggle to find financial support at the right time. To support the agri start-ups, NABARD has set up “Catalytic Capital Fund for supporting Rural and Agri Start-ups”. Through the Fund, support is provided to start-ups in the “Valley of Death’ stage so that they become viable units.

NABARD has so far provided support to 03 NABARD Supported Incubation Centres., viz., Madurai Agri Business Incubation Forum (MABIF), Madurai, Assosication for Innovation and Development of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture (a-Idea), Hyderabad and Agri and Food Innovation Hub (AgHUB), in Hyderabad and 01 NABARD Subsidiary i.e. NABKISAN.

Promotion of GI Products

Geographical Indications (GI) is an Intellectual Property right that identifies goods originating from a specific geographical location and having distinct nature, quality and characteristics linked to that location. A GI right allows its holder to prevent its use by a third party whose product does not conform to the applicable standards. NABARD has supported GI registration of 156 products.

NABARD provides end-to-end support in facilitating pre-registration as well as post-registration activities for GI products. The prominent products supported by NABARD for GI registration are Black Pottery (Nizamabad), Wall Hangings (Ghazipur) Soft Stone Jali Work (Varanasi) Gulabi Minakari (Banaras) Handmade Dari (Mirzapur), Chadauli Kala Chawal etc.

Marketing outlet for GI Products

NABARD has also supported for exclusive marketing outlets for GI products. Some of them are as under :

• “The Benaras GI Store” at Deen Dayal Hasthakala Sankul as network/platform exists for direct marketing of GI Products in Uttar Pradesh with a grant assistance of Rs. 14.57 lakh
• “Desha Shoochakam” at North Paravur, Kerala with grant assistance of Rs. 10.00 lakh.

Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (SCLCSS)

NABARD is one of the nodal agencies for implementing the Special Credit Linked Capital Subsidy Scheme (SCLCSS) for Technology Upgradation of Micro & Small Enterprises of Government of India for SC-ST beneficiaries.

Stand-Up India Scheme

Stand-Up India Scheme (SUI) launched by Government of India on 5 April 2016 facilitates bank loans ranging from Rs.10.00 lakh to Rs.1.00 crore to at least one SC or ST borrower, and at least one women borrower, per bank branch for setting up an enterprise. NABARD continues to be the ‘Connect Centre’ for organizing pre and post disbursement handholding events at district level, to share best practices, review of the programmes, problem solving and guiding the potential borrowers. During 2021-22, a total of 439 handholding events with 18135 participants have been conducted in 132 districts across the country.