ITANAGAR, 18 Jul: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) celebrated its 44th foundation day at DK Convention Hall here, reaffirming its commitment to inclusive growth and sustainable development.
During the programme, a booklet titled ‘NABARD in Arunachal Pradesh’ was released and the participants were apprised of the schemes of the NABARD. A presentation was also made on the history of cooperative movement and various initiatives taken by the Government of India, the NABARD, the Government of Arunachal Pradesh and other stakeholders for development of the cooperative sector, the bank informed in a release.
During an interactive session, the participants deliberated the issues plaguing the promotion of the cooperatives and offered suggestions, the release said.
Attending the event, RGU VC Prof SK Nayak lauded the NABARD for its enduring efforts in empowering farmers and strengthening rural institutions, the release said.
According to the release, the RGU VC touched upon the issue of market failures in agriculture, stressing the importance of information symmetry and the vital role that the NABARD plays in bridging gaps. He further underlined the need to nurture cooperation over conflict within cooperative structures to ensure their success, it said.
NABARD General Manager Damodar Mishra highlighted the institution’s journey and its pivotal role in agriculture modernization, financial inclusion, rural infrastructure, and climate resilience.
He informed that the NABARD has cumulatively sanctioned 485 projects under the RIDF, worth Rs 4,613 crore, in Arunachal Pradesh, strengthening rural connectivity, irrigation, and livelihood opportunities.
Mishra also emphasized the NABARD’s strategic priorities – creation of rural infrastructure, planning and purveyance of rural credit, digitization of PACS, support for micro-credit and entrepreneurship, fostering sustainable rural communities through innovative projects in farm and off-farm sectors, and initiatives taken for fostering financial inclusion.
Established on 12 July, 1982, the NABARD has been a driving force in transforming India’s rural landscape for over four decades.
With the United Nations declaring 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives (UN-IYC 2025), the theme ‘Cooperatives Build a Better World’ was launched at the ICA global cooperative conference and general assembly in New Delhi.
To align with this global initiative and celebrate the milestone, the NABARD’s Arunachal Pradesh regional office organized a sensitization programme on the theme of the IYC-2025.
Earlier, celebrating the foundation day on 12 July, a green dimension was added through the NABARD’s ‘Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam’ plantation drive across districts including Namsai, Lower Dibang Valley, Lower Subansiri, and West Kameng, in collaboration with the Department of Cooperation, promoting environmental stewardship and honouring the spirit of care and sustainability.
