The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has announced the approval of Rs 770 crore in financial assistance for the construction of two irrigation projects in Jharkhand. These projects, sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for the fiscal year 2024-25, will benefit the districts of Palamu and Giridih.
S K Jahagirdar, the Chief General Manager of NABARD’s Jharkhand Regional Office, confirmed the sanction of Rs 769.58 crore for the irrigation projects. The project in Palamu aims to provide irrigation to an additional 11,000 hectares of land through pipelines across eight blocks in the district. Meanwhile, the megalift irrigation project in Giridih will cover 165 out of 197 villages in the Pirtand block, leading to the development of 10,158 hectares of cultivable command area.
These projects are expected to significantly boost agricultural activities in the respective districts and enhance the overall agricultural landscape. NABARD’s ongoing support to Jharkhand under the RIDF has now reached Rs 1,017 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Since the inception of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, NABARD has provided approximately Rs 24,300 crore in support to Jharkhand.
This announcement comes as Jharkhand prepares for upcoming assembly elections, expected to be held later this year. The current tenure of the 81-member Jharkhand assembly is set to expire on January 5, 2025.
