Udaipur: A divisional-level workshop on the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) and Micro Irrigation Fund (MIF) was organised by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) at Hotel Ginger in Udaipur on Friday.

The workshop was chaired by NABARD Deputy General Manager Ram Prasad Sharma. Lead District Manager Sanjay Gupta, NABARD District Development Manager Neeraj Yadav, and senior officials from the Public Works Department, Public Health Engineering Department, Water Resources Department, Medical and Health, Education, Animal Husbandry, Horticulture and Forest departments, among others, actively participated in the workshop.

Addressing the workshop, Sharma highlighted the important role of RIDF and MIF in strengthening rural infrastructure and improving agricultural productivity. He stressed the need for timely implementation and completion of projects to maximise their developmental impact.

NABARD officials made detailed presentations on both schemes, covering eligible sectors, project appraisal criteria, loan eligibility provisions, approval procedures, revised disbursement arrangements and monitoring mechanisms.

The workshop was informed that RIDF-supported projects worth ₹2,544.16 crore are currently under implementation in the Udaipur division. These projects cover key sectors including rural roads, drinking water supply, irrigation, healthcare, education, animal husbandry, horticulture and forestry. The projects are contributing significantly to the development of sustainable rural infrastructure and improvement in the quality of life of rural communities.

The workshop also included a focused review of slow-moving and problem-ridden projects. NABARD officials discussed implementation-related bottlenecks with representatives of the concerned departments and stressed the need for timely execution, adherence to phased targets, and prompt submission of utilisation certificates and completion reports.

Delays arising from land acquisition, procedural hurdles, budgetary constraints and other implementation challenges were also discussed. The concerned departments were advised to take necessary corrective measures and accelerate the progress of ongoing projects.