Port Blair, July 25: NABARD Andaman & Nicobar Regional Office celebrated its 43rd Foundation Day yesterday in its office premises. This momentous occasion marked 43 years of commitment to promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development through participative financial and non-financial interventions, innovations, technology and institutional development for securing prosperity.

The event was graced by Shri Keshav Chandra, IAS, Chief Secretary as the chief guest in the august presence of Smt. Nandini Paliwal, IAS, Commissioner -cum- Secretary, Rural Development, Shri Arjun Sharma, IAS, Secretary, Rural Development/Deputy Commissioner, South Andaman District and Shri Siddhartha Gupta, Regional Manager, State Bank of India.

Smt. Archana Singh, General Manager/Officer-in-Charge, NABARD, Port Blair highlighted that NABARD along with SBI have made dedicated efforts to bring the Lakhpati Didis of the Islands onto the digital financial platform. 

The Chief Secretary lauded NABARD’s efforts in deepening the financial inclusion interventions in the rural areas. He appreciated NABARD initiatives of Mobile Rural Marts, SHGs Stall at airport, PACS Computerization, Freshwater Shrimp farming with PACS, GI product registration and Projects for PVTGs. Through these interventions, NABARD has been able to touch and transform the livelihoods of the rural populace. He appreciated NABARD’s collaborative mode of brining stakeholders together like SBI and ANIRLM.

PoS machines were distributed to 100 Lakhpati Didis in the presence of the Chief Secretary and other dignitaries.

NABARD acknowledged the strong support and collaboration extended by SBI team and the ANIRLM team for motivating the Lakhpati Didis to get digitally and financially empowered through the use of PoS machines.