Date:02/02/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/02/02/stories/2008020255510700.htm

Andhra Pradesh

NABARD funds for rural infrastructure

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has sanctioned 252 rural infrastructure projects involving a loan assistance of Rs. 262.88 crore.

Rural development fund

These projects were sanctioned under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF-XIII) by the Project Sanctioning Committee at a meeting held in New Delhi on January 31, according to a press release from NABARD.

With this ,1,605 projects were sanctioned with assistance of Rs. 1225.28 crore during the current financial year.

The projects include 116 roads and bridges (Rs. 125.25 crore), two comprehensive protected water supply schemes, 14 minor irrigation, 19 lift irrigation and 101 bio-diesel plantations. The roads and bridges projects include 44 roads to be developed in remote and interior areas with an assistance of Rs. 63. 12 crore.

Water supply projects

The two comprehensive protected water supply projects would be in Nalgonda and Kadapa districts, envisaging supply to 56 habitations and benefiting a population of 1,26,794.

The minor irrigation projects would be implemented in Adilabad, Karimnagar, Nalgonda and Nellore districts, providing assured irrigation to 12,056 hectares.

The State Forest department has been sanctioned Rs. 22.24 crore for raising biodiesel (pongamia) plantations spread over 8,800 hectares in 16 districts.