Port Blair, July 23: To commemorate NABARD’s 42nd Foundation Day,A & N Regional Office of NABARD conducted a programme on 23rd July 2023 in the august presence of Mr. Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chief Secretary, UT Administration, A & N Islands as Chief Guest and Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, the Member of Parliament as Special Guest of Honour along with Mr. K Murugan, Managing Director of ANSCB Ltd.
Smt Archana Singh, Officer–in-Charge of NABARD Regional Office, Andaman &Nicobar, in herwelcome address highlighted several milestones achieved by NABARD in the past four decades and the footprints left by NABARD in the Islands. She briefed the gathering that so far NABARD has imparted skill development training to around 10,700 farmers, SHG members and artisans through 372 programmes. NABARD has sponsored 4 Rural Haats and 14 Rural Marts and One mobile Rural Mart in the Islands. Four FPOs have been registered in agriculture and poultry sector. The focus in the near future would be on honing the skills of the fishermen in tuna and other high-quality fish having export potential.
Mr. Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chief Secretary, UT Administration congratulated NABARD on the occasion of 42ndFoundation Day and appreciated good work done by NABARD in Andaman and Nicobar. He expressed that the islands offer immense scope for high value spices like cinnamon which if branded well would fetch better price for farmers. He also expressed happiness of the revival of copra procurement after a decade and exhorted NABARD to impart skills in packaging of dessicated coconut powder and virgin coconut oil.
Mr. Kuldeep Rai Sharma, the MP greeted NABARD and agreed to extend necessary cooperation to NABARD in its developmental initiatives specially development of cooperative sector through PACS. He also urged NABARD to focus on livelihood schemes for SHG members which would emerge as a flourishing industry in the islands.
On this occasion, PACS in A & N Islands along with Master Trainers were felicitated for completing the first phase of Computerisation under the GoIproject and being the only State/UT to achieve 100% FHR in the country. RupayKisan Credit Cards were also launched at the hands of Chief Secretary and the MP. These Rupay KCCs will enable over 9000 farmers to use the KCC as a card and swipe transactions anytime anywhere.
The highlight of the function was flagging off two mobile vans one each for Hut Bay and Campbell Bay at the hands of Chief Secretary and Hon’ble MP. The Mobile Demo Van fitted with an ATM as well as microATM with the latest technology will deliver banking services at the doorsteps of the 2000 rural and tribal households in Little Andaman and 1600 households in Campbell Bay.
On the occasion SHG products, 7 products identified for GI tagging and Banking Technology products viz., Handheld projector, POS machine and micro ATM were also displayed.
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