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PREFACE AND ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We are grateful to the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural
Development (NABARD) for awarding this research project and giving us
an opportunity to revisit the theme of agricultural credit and its various
ramifications. Earlier, about six to seven years ago in 2007-08, we had completed
a similar study on behalf of the Indian Institute of Banking & Finance. Since
then, there have been significant changes in the policy contours concerning the
rural credit architecture and the trends in credit delivery for agriculture; and
for capturing those changes, we have had to entirely revise the earlier volume.
This resulted in some unavoidable delay in completing the study and we thank
NABARD for giving the needed extension of time.
In completing this exercise we have received significant inputs from
various quarters. In particular we wish to acknowledge with gratitude the deep
interest that Dr. R. N. Kulkarni, Chief General Manager, Department of Economic
Analysis and Research (DEAR), NABARD, has taken in this study. He took the
trouble of meeting with us two to three times and was kind enough to provide the
details of what NABARD had expected of us, which have been of immense help.
Similarly, though we could not meet Dr. Prakash Bakshi, Chairman, NABARD,
for this purpose, we have been aware of the intense interest he had evinced in
this study. We take this opportunity to convey our sincere gratitude to both for
the faith they have kept in the work of this institution and in particular for the
guidance received from them for the completion of the Report. From NABARD,
we have also received substantial data support and in this respect, we wish to
place on record our appreciation of the constant support extended and interest
shown by Dr. Nirupam Mehrotra of DEAR in particular.
The study is the result of the single-minded devotion bestowed by Dr.
S. L. Shetty, throughout since the study was awarded by NABARD. He has an
abiding interest in the social goals that the public institutions have to serve and
the contents of the report reflect those perspectives. His task has been ably
supported by Shri. Bipin K. Deokar, and under his leadership, Ms Vishakha M.
Karmarkar and Ms. Nishigandha R. Lokhande. Inputs from Shri. Prasanth and
Shri R. Krishnaswamy have been of immense help. We record the institution’s
grateful thanks to all them. Similarly, we record our sincere thanks to Shri.
K. Srinivasan, who has taken the trouble of inputting the entire Report at its
various stages. Ms. Rema K. Nair has also put in her efforts wherever called
upon to do; we thank her too.
(K. Kanagasabapathy)
Director
