**Executive Summary**
NABARD celebrated its 45th Foundation Day on July 16, 2026, in Pune, coinciding with the International Year of Women Farmers 2026. The event highlighted record financial support in Maharashtra, including ₹39,380 crore in business refinance and the felicitation of women-led rural enterprises. Key objectives include expanding Kisan Credit Card (KCC) coverage for small farmers and aligning rural development with the "Viksit Maharashtra 2047" vision.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Financial Performance and Growth**
* Priority sector lending in Maharashtra rose to ₹9.20 lakh crore in 2025-26, up from ₹6.40 lakh crore in 2023-24.
* Agricultural credit reached ₹1.93 lakh crore during the 2025-26 period.
* NABARD provided ₹5,600 crore in direct infrastructure assistance to the State Government and ₹37.72 crore for developmental and grant-based initiatives.
* **State Government Support and Digital Initiatives**
* Crop loan waivers up to ₹2 lakh are provided under the Punya Shlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karj Mafi Yojana, including a ₹50,000 incentive for regular repayment.
* Farmers receive free power for water pumps up to 7.5 HP.
* Digital transformation efforts include AgriStack digital IDs for over one crore farmers and AI-driven advisory services via Mahavistaar-AI and Vasudha.
* The Natural Farming Mission has set a target of five lakh hectares.
* **Women’s Empowerment and Rural Transformation**
* Under the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana and UMED, over 50 lakh women in Self-Help Groups (SHGs) have received more than ₹50,000 crore in loans.
* Focus remains on creating "Lakhpati Didis" through Self-Help Groups and women-led Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).
* NABARD continues to support Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) digitization and climate-resilient agriculture.
* **Long-term Economic Vision**
* The state aims for a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030 and a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2047.
* Development strategy is centered on strengthening villages, farms, and cooperatives to ensure regional balance.
**Impact Analysis**
**Small and Marginal Farmers**
**Impact**
They benefit from expanded credit access, loan waivers, and technological aids like AI advisories and digital IDs.
**Action Required**
Farmers should register for AgriStack digital IDs and approach banks to avail themselves of widened KCC coverage and power subsidies.
**Women Farmers and SHGs**
**Impact**
Recognized as the "backbone of agriculture," they have increased access to large-scale credit and specialized livelihood projects like backyard poultry.
**Action Required**
Women-led FPOs and SHGs are encouraged to deepen ties with MAVIM and UMED to scale their rural enterprises.
**Banking Institutions**
**Impact**
Banks are positioned as primary vehicles for achieving record agricultural credit targets and priority sector lending.
**Action Required**
Banks must actively widen KCC coverage, specifically targeting small and marginal farmers, and support the digitization of rural credit institutions.
**NABARD Maharashtra**
**Impact**
The organization acts as the central facilitator for state infrastructure, refinance, and rural institutional strengthening.
**Action Required**
NABARD must continue its focus on PACS digitization and align its grant-based initiatives with the Viksit Bharat @2047 strategy.
Key Entities Referenced
NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development): The apex development bank in India responsible for policy, planning, and operations in the field of credit for agriculture and other economic activities in rural areas.
Viksit Maharashtra 2047: A strategic vision document aiming to transform Maharashtra into a five-trillion-dollar economy by 2047 through inclusive and regionally balanced development.
Punya Shlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karj Mafi Yojana: A state-level scheme providing crop loan waivers up to ₹2 lakh and incentives for regular repayment to support farmers.
Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana: A major welfare initiative by the Maharashtra government focused on the economic empowerment and financial support of women.
UMED (Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission): A mission dedicated to social and economic empowerment of the rural poor through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) and the 'Lakhpati Didi' initiative.
Ministry of Finance
NABARD, Maharashtra Celebrates 45th
Foundation Day in Pune, Honours Women
Farmers
Women are the backbone of Agriculture - Agriculture Minister
Dattatray Bharne
प्रव तथ: 16 JUL 2026 3:52PM by PIB Mumbai
Pune, 16th July 2026
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) celebrated its
45th Foundation Day on 16th July 2026, marking the International Year of Women
Farmers 2026 and reaffirming its commitment to inclusive, sustainable and climate-
resilient rural growth.
Hon’ble Dattatray Bharne, Agriculture Minister, Maharashtra, attended as Chief
Guest, and women farmers, women-led FPOs, SHGs, PACS and rural entrepreneurs
from across the State were felicitated for their contribution to rural transformation.
The event was attended by Shri Jaikish, CGM & Principal, CAB, Pune; Shri Vivek
Nachane, GM/Convenor, SLBC, Maharashtra; Dr. Bharat Kakde, President, BAIF and
Shri Vidhyadhar Anaskar, Administrator, MStCB. Dr. A. V. Bhavani Shankar, Chief
General Manager, NABARD Maharashtra Regional Office hosted the programme. Abooklet, “Empowering Rural Maharashtra: NABARD 2025-26,” was released, and a
documentary on the NABARD-supported Backyard Poultry Livelihood Project led by
women in Chandrapur district was screened.
Addressing the audience as chief guest, Shri Bharne commended NABARD’s 45-year
partnership with Maharashtra’s farmers and cooperatives, calling women “the
backbone of agriculture.” He cited the State Budget’s farmer-first measures: crop
loan waivers up to ₹2 lakh with a ₹50,000 regular repayment incentive under the
Punya Shlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Shetkari Karj Mafi Yojana; free power to farmers with
pumps up to 7.5 HP; the Natural Farming Mission’s five-lakh-hectare target;
AgriStack digital IDs for over a crore farmers; AI advisory via Mahavistaar-AI and
Vasudha; and expanded livelihoods under the Pashudhan Udyojak and Matsya
Sampada Yojanas.He noted priority sector lending rose from ₹6.40 lakh crore (2023-24) to ₹9.20 lakh
crore (2025-26), and agricultural credit from ₹1.54 lakh crore to ₹1.93 lakh crore,
urging banks to widen KCC coverage especially for small and marginal farmers. On
women’s empowerment, he highlighted the Mukhyamantri Majhi Ladki Bahin Yojana
and UMED, under which over 50 lakh women in SHGs have received ₹50,000-crore-
plus in loans as ‘Lakhpati Didis,’ and invited NABARD to deepen ties with UMED,
MAVIM and Women FPCs. He linked these efforts to the State’s Viksit Maharashtra
2047 vision for a one-trillion-dollar economy by 2030, growing to five trillion dollars
by 2047 — to be built on the strength of villages, farms and cooperatives to ensure
inclusive and regionally balanced development.
Record Year for NABARD Maharashtra
Dr. Bhavani Shankar called 2025-26 a landmark year for NABARD Maharashtra, as
business support and refinance crossed ₹39,380 crore, direct infrastructure
assistance to the State Government stood at nearly ₹5,600 crore, and ₹37.72 crore
was extended under developmental and grant-based initiatives. He highlighted
strong progress on PACS digitisation, multi-Purpose PACS, and continued support
for FPOs, climate-resilient agriculture, natural resource management and women-
led rural enterprises - reiterating that empowering women farmers and
strengthening rural institutions remain central to NABARD’s Viksit Bharat @2047
strategy in Maharashtra.
Smt. Samriti Bhagat, General Manager, delivered the welcome address; Shri
Avinash P. Sevalkar, General Manager, NABARD Maharashtra Regional Office,
proposed the vote of thanks.
***
Harshal Akude/Parshuram Kor
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