Nabard sanctions Rs 52cr for rural infrastructure

National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned Rs 52.15 crore to West Bengal under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for the creation and improvement of road length of 50.40 km in remote areas of Darjeeling and up gradation of brick roads length of 353.20 km in Sundarbans region.

The state has been allocated a normative allocation of Rs 570 crore under RIDF - XIII.

With this NABARD has sanctioned 22, 064 projects with assistance from RIDF of Rs.4031.82 crore. The major sectors which received support in the state include rural connectivity,irrigation, social sector including rural education infrastructure, rural library and joint forest management. For rural connectivity, Rs 2, 088.40 crore was given, accounting for 52.18% of the fund. Irrigation got Rs.769.81 crore, accounting for 19.23 % of fund. For power sector Rs.570.61 crore was sanctioned.

Innovative projects like, sprinkler irrigation projects in the foothill areas of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts and hydram with sprinkler irrigation system in the hilly areas of Darjeeling have been introduced in RIDF, according to the pres release by NABARD.

"Introduction of Hydram will go a long way as it operates with the help of hydraulic pressure without requiring electricity or fuel," it said. Brick paved road is an established means of all weather rural connectivity in the hinterland of the Sunderbans.

Locally available materials are being used in the construction of these roads, which is cost effective and environment friendly. In all, Rs.28.18 crore have been sanctioned for construction of 16 brick paved roads to 24 Parganas South (13 Nos) and 24 Parganas North (6 Nos) districts.

Completion of these roads will serve 14 lakh population.