VIJAYAWADA: National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) on Wednesday inaugurated its new Andhra Pradesh Regional Office in Vijayawada. The office had earlier been located in Hyderabad.
Those present at the inauguration included AP agriculture minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu, finance minister Payyavula Keshav, NABARD chairman Shaji K.V., special chief secretary (Agriculture) Budithi Rajsekhar, NABARD Andhra Pradesh CGM M.R. Gopal and others from the government and banking fraternity.
Speaking on the occasion, Atchannaidu said NABARD’s relocation to Vijayawada aligns perfectly with AP’s Vision 2047, wherein agriculture and allied sectors drive economic transformation. He assured that the AP government will extend all possible assistance to NABARD for constructing its own iconic building in Amaravati.
Payyavula Keshav said NABARD’s relocation to Vijayawada symbolises a deeper commitment to the state’s development aspirations.
NABARD chairman Shaji Krishnan V. underlined that their bank is enhancing credit flow to tenant farmers and marginalised communities, apart from strengthening field-level interventions. Shaji Krishnan assured that the iconic NABARD building in Amaravati would be completed within 18 months. He also pledged increased support for agriculture, rural development, and the knowledge economy in the state.
During a meeting with Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu at Undavalli on Wednesday, they discussed boosting agriculture, rural development, MSMEs, and the fisheries sector. Shaji Krishnan assured NABARD's backing for self-help groups, farmer producer organisations, and entrepreneurs to support the state’s developmental efforts.
NABARD AP CGM Gopal reiterated the bank’s commitment to leverage the new office as a hub of innovation and collaboration to better serve the developmental needs of Andhra Pradesh.
On the occasion, in collaboration with the Handloom and Textiles department, NABARD extended Geographical Indication (GI) registration of traditional handloom products, such as Dupion silk, Manorama bedsheets, Chirala Kuppadam sarees, Madhavaram cotton sarees, and Yemmiganur towels and bedsheets, thereby preserving heritage and opening global marketing opportunities.
