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Agricultural Refinance and Development Corporation (ARDC), which was merged into NABARD since its formation in 1982, had Programme Evaluation Division conducting Ex-post evaluation of schemes and investments. This department was renamed Economic Analysis and Publication Department (EAPD) after the formation of NABARD with additional functions such as administering R&D Fund, preparing Annual Report, maintenance of central library, etc. In 1990, EAPD was renamed as Department of Economic Analysis and Research (DEAR). Subsequently, central library was transferred to other department.
Core Functions
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Conducts in-house studies on areas of interest to NABARD.
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Provides policy inputs to the Management
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Associates with Committees, Expert/Working Groups set up by GoI, Planning Commission, RBI, etc.
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Promotes R&D by sponsoring seminars and studies conducted by Research Institutions/ agencies/ Universities.
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Brings out Occasional Papers
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Brings out Annual Report of the Bank.
The Department conducts in-house studies having diagnostic and policy relevance to the functioning of NABARD, besides outsourcing quite a few to outside experts/agencies to have a third party feedback. It is supported by a small group of agricultural economists posted in Head Office (HO) as well as Regional Offices (ROs). Many of them have been contributing papers to academic journals and conferences as well.
The Department has been associated with several committees and working groups while some of the officers have served on the external as well as internal working groups as members. One major contribution of the Department has been the involvement of its officers positioned in Head Office and Regional Offices in almost all the major assignments for NABARD Consultancy Pvt. Ltd. (NABCONS). The Department has also extended faculty support for agencies like Agricultural Finance Corporation Limited (AFC), Mumbai.
In-House Research Studies (Recent Years)
Over 250 Evaluation and other study reports have been published by the Department. Some of the studies done in-house in recent years are on the following topics:
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Kisan Credit Card (KCC)
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District Rural Industries Project (DRIP)
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Rural Entrepreneurship Development Programme (REDP)
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Doubling of Ground Level Credit Flow to Agriculture (GoI): An Assessment
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Commodity Specific Studies for Grapes, Potato, Cotton, Gherkins, Sugarcane, Mango, Groundnut, Cashew nut, Pulses, Medicinal Plants
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Impact Assessment of Investments like Rural Roads/Bridges/MI financed through Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF)
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A Comparative Analysis of cost Effectiveness of Various Models under Micro Credit
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Other themes covered include : Solar power, Coping mechanism, Participatory Irrigation Management, Medicinal & Aromatic Plants, Rural Godowns, Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure, Agri-Clinic and Agri-Business Centres, Graduation of SHGs into Micro-Enterprises
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