Bhopal: Chief Minister Kamal Nath has said that the Madhya Pradesh government is making a plan to provide the farmers the full value and consumption of the increasing produce. The Chief Minister has asked NABARD to cooperate in this scheme. Nath said this during a meeting with a delegation from NABARD in the Ministry today. Appreciating the announcement of the state government to give a share capital of Rs 3 thousand crores to the cooperative banks and related institutions of the state, Chief General Manager of National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development Sunil Kumar Bansal said that this is the first attempt of any state in connection with strengthening co-operatives in the country. The Chief Minister lauded the efforts being made by NABARD in the cooperative sector.
The Chief Minister asked NABARD to actively participate in the efforts being made by the state government to make the farmers financially strong. He said that there are huge possibilities in the field of horticulture, especially floriculture in Madhya Pradesh. NABARD should promote food processing units with special focus on these areas. The Chief Minister also asked to cooperate in the system of better marketing of the goods produced in the food parks being constructed in the state, so that farmers can get the right price for their produce.
Bansal appreciated the innovations being made in the field of cooperatives by the state government. He informed that NABARD will provide full cooperation in the steps taken by the state government in the field of cooperatives. Bansal informed that NABARD has approved a plan of Rs 25,560 crore for the Government of Madhya Pradesh in the year 2019-20, which is Rs 5,000 crore more than the previous year and ten times more in the last seven years.
This financial assistance includes Rs 10,800 crores of various funds aided by NABARD, which will be spent on the development of rural infrastructure. Total Rs 4,000 crores will be given to the State Government Federation, Rs 2,100 crores to the Long Term Irrigation Fund and Rs 200 crores for Dairy Development. Besides, Rs 10,700 crores is being made available to the cooperative institutions for crop loans to farmers in the form of refinance. NABARD has made an agreement with the Indian Postal Payment Bank and SBI for improving banking services in the rural areas. Farmer Producer Associations will be provided financial help for parks in tribal areas, water shed etc. Technical assistance is being made available to Cooperative banks so that they can get connected with the new technique of payment.
Bansal informed that special efforts are also being made for marketing of goods produced by rural artisans and women self-help groups. NABARD will soon organize ‘Umang-2019’ at Bhopal Haat for marketing of goods prepared by rural artisans and women self-help groups. This will include self-help groups and rural artisans from 31 states of the country including Madhya Pradesh. He invited the Chief Minister to the programme.