Odisha grew to place of big industrial and business activities, says NABARD Chairman

Bhubaneswar (Odisha) [India], September 17 (ANI): In an interactive session with the Odisha government, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Chairman, Dr G.R. Chintala said that Odisha grew to a place of big industrial and business activities during the last decade.
On Thursday, the NABARD chairman held a meeting with the state government under the Chairmanship of Chief Secretary Suresh Chandra Mahapatra at Lokseva Bhawan Convention hall wherein Development Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jena outlined the issues for discussion.
According to the chief secretary, Odisha has emerged as a rapidly developing state within the last two decades, with pioneering initiatives and faster performances across the sectors.
"State has achieved highest poverty reduction of 24% in last decade resulting in the liberation of around 8 million people from poverty net," he added.
During the meeting, Mahapatra also said that Odisha is now one of the three top investment destinations in the country.
"State became number one in investment implementation rate as per ASSOCHAM-2017 report. We have become a lead State in rural roads, housing, farmers empowerment, women empowerment and skill development. In post covid scenario, there is a need for higher investment in rural roads, irrigation, agricultural development, social infrastructure, creation of new livelihood opportunities, agri-business etc," he added.
Further, Mahapatra led his emphasis on enhancing the NABARD loan assistance to the state.
The Development Commissioner, Jena said that Odisha's engagement with NABARD was quite successful and encouraging in last the few years, however, more investment is needed for building disaster-resilient infrastructure in the state.
He said, "Along with Rural Infrastructure Development Funds (RIDF), State also successfully implemented climate change action plan projects and agriculture development projects with NABARD."
Earlier, NABARD was urged to enhance its loan assistance to a total of Rs.10,000 cr under different schemes like RIDF, rural infrastructure assistance to States ( RIAS), long term irrigation fund (LITF), financial inclusion, diary entrepreneurship development, agricultural marketing infrastructure etc.
Mahapatra said that the state is prepared to implement the projects worth Rs.5000 cr under RIDF, Rs, 4500 cr under RIAS and Rs.500 Cr under LITF.
In his response, Dr Chintala said that NABARD will do its best in enhancing its involvement with the State. (ANI)