Minister for Rural Development and Panchayati Raj, Abdul Rehman Veeri today asked the representatives of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) to come up with proposals where the NABARD activities can be taken up in convergence with Rural Development Department.The Minister said this while chairing a meeting with the representatives of NABARD and officers of Rural Development Department to explore the possible areas of convergence.Secretary RDD Sheetal Nanda, Director RDD Kashmir M N Shiekh, Director Finance RDD S L Pandita, Mission Director JKSRLM Javed Bakshi, Joint Director Planning RDD, COO Himayat Kapil Sharma, Additional Secretary RDD R K Badyal, Deputy General Manager NABARD Qamar Javed and DDM NABARD Budgam, Junaid Ahmad Hakim attended the meeting.DGM NABARD gave the detailed presentation regarding functions of the organization and about the financial support which is being provided to carry out various activities under different sectors in the state.Threadbare discussions were held on possibilities where RDD and NABARD both can join hands and take up the activities in convergence which are being designed for the betterment of the people of rural areas of the state. The meeting also discussed the priority areas and convergence activities that can be taken up.It was felt that the Skill training initiative of NABARD can be utilized for the Self Helf Groups (SHGs) created by JKSRLM so that people associated with these SHGs be benefitted with up-gradation in skill training.
The meeting was informed that under MGNREGA, the department of Rural Development needs to construct Rural Haats where members of SHGs can come up with their products to sell. The representatives of NABARD said that the for creation of infrastructure for these Rural Haats, financial support can be provided upto Rs 10 lakh for each Haat.The Minister asked the Secretary RDD to submit a proposal in this regard to NABARD so that in convergence, these Haats would be established in the state to provide a suitable platform to the beneficiaries for better marketing of their products.Veeri said that NABARD has done a commendable job in the state for creating rural infrastructure under RIDF and there are many other areas, activities where RDD and NABARD can do intervention and utilize the resources in a best manner to provide benefits to the rural people.It was decided that the department of RD will identify the beneficiaries that can be provided with skill training under Skill Initiatives of NABARD for making them able to get into self-employment model.The representative of NABARD assured the Minister that they would come up with remodeled proposals as per the need of the people of the state so that they can do intervention and its existing activities including Watershed Management Fund (WMF), Tribal Development Fund (TDF) and off farm sector activities in remodeled shape are implemented in convergence.The meeting also felt the need of utilizing the services of NABCONS as Technical Support Agency (TSA) for monitoring and evaluation of various schemes/programmes of RDD for their effective implementation on the ground.