PANAJI: During the year 2009-10, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD’s) refinance disbursements to the banks in Goa, in respect of term loans extended to agriculture and non-farm sector reached an all-time high of Rs 81.64 crore as against Rs 17 crore during  the preceding year.

NABARD also sanctioned a total financial assistance of Rs 148.59 crore to the state towards an ongoing medium irrigation project, water treatment plan, bridges and 35 anganwadi centres as against Rs 85.50 crore in the year 2008-09. The bank has disbursed an amount of Rs 84.72 crore for various ongoing infrastructure projects as against Rs 65.50 crore in the preceding year. The state credit plan target for agriculture, non farm and other priority sectors for the year 2010-11 was fixed at Rs 1653  crore.
During the year, NABARD had conducted two awareness programmes on the Scheme for Development for Agri-marketing infrastructure, with an intension to create awareness among the stakeholders. The seminars focussed on household use of medicinal plants for farmers, NGOs and general public; financial inclusion, role of farmers club as business correspondent, meeting with NGOs on Promotion of SHG linkage.
In an endeavour to impart skills to the unemployed youth, NABARD organised three rural entrepreneurship development programmes on mobile phone repairs, beauticians and hair dressing course for women, capacity-building for adoption of technology programmes, besides formation of nine farmers clubs.
The regional office of NABARD was awarded first prize and shield, at the hands of Mr Ajay Makan, Minister of State for Home Affairs, at a function held at Daman last month for its excellent  work in the implementation of Rajbhasha Policy of central government.