Chief Secretary, B B Vyas Thursday chaired the 1st High Powered Committee meeting- 2017-18, to review the status of projects funded under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) of NABARD.Principal Secretary, Agriculture Production, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister, Commissioner/ Secretary, PW(R&B), Commissioner/ Secretary, Animal & Sheep Husbandry, Commissioner/Secretary, PHE/I&FC, Chief General Manager, NABARD and other senior officers participated in the meeting.The Committee was informed that for the financial year 2017-18, under RIDF, Rs 400 crore normative allocations have been sanctioned for projects in R&B, PHE, I&FC, Health, Animal & Sheep Husbandry and Agriculture sectors.The Committee set up a deadline of 15th September, 2017, for preparation and submission of DPRs and Project Completion Reports (PCRs) with focus on developing innovative projects related to revival of traditional water bodies, irrigation facilities in Kandi areas, field channels, developing ware housing facilities along ring roads etc.
Enumerating the benefits of NABARD's support for creation of rural infrastructure through RIDF, Chief Secretary said RIDF sanctioned projects have significantly contributed to the socio-economic development in rural areas and have enabled the state government to fund major rural infrastructure projects, which otherwise could not have been taken up due to limited financial resources.Chief Secretary stressed upon the implementing agencies to expedite the work on all projects to be completed during the year 2017-18. He further stressed that incomplete projects of earlier tranches should be reposed under current tranche to ensure completion of balance work.While underscoring the need for regular monitoring and cooperation between NABARD and concerned departments for the successful implementation of RIDF during 2017-18, Chief Secretary urged the Administrative Secretaries to personally review the progress of projects on monthly basis and ensure that Project Completion Reports (PCRs) are submitted on time to the Government of India.Chief Secretary further asked the concerned Administrative Secretaries to have the details of ongoing NABARD funded projects uploaded on their departmental websites along with photographs. He also asked the Administrative Secretaries to explore the possibility of geo-tagging of NABARD assets.Detailed discussion to address various issues relating to fund flow and gaps, non starter and slow moving projects and submission of quarterly expenditure was also held during the meeting. The Committee will again meet to review the progress in the first week of October, 2017.