On July 12, 2025, the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) commemorated its 44th Foundation Day with the launch of several key initiatives, including NIVARAN and RuralTech CoLab, during a celebratory event held at ITC Grand Chola in Chennai, Tamil Nadu(TN).
- The celebrations highlighted NABARD’s pivotal role in reshaping India’s rural development landscape through innovation, infrastructure, and financial inclusion.
Key Dignitaries:
i.The event was attended by M. Nagaraju, Secretary, Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF); N. Muruganandam, Chief Secretary(CS), Government of TN; Shaji KV, Chairman of NABARD and among others.
ii.In addition, G.S. Rawat and A.K. Sood, Managing Directors(MDs) of NABARD, along with the MD of Indian Bank and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB), also participated in the event.
Key Initiatives Launched:
1.RuralTech CoLab:
i.It is an open digital innovation platform which enables startups, research institutes, and tech developers to co-create, test, and scale rural-centric technologies.
ii.The innovative technological solutions will exclusively be customised for agriculture, rural development, rural financial services.
iii.The platform will also facilitate access to the bank’s grassroots network, including Self-Help Groups (SHGs), Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), Co-operative Banks, among others.
2.NIVARAN:
i.It is a dedicated Internal Grievance Redressal System, designed for rural Co-operative Banks. It offers 24×7 digital access for complaint resolution and governance enhancement.
ii.The system is integrated with the Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS), allowing for seamless tracking and management of complaints.
iii.It is aligns with the grievance redressal mechanisms outlined by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), ensuring adherence to regulatory standards
3.Other Key Initiatives:
i.Sub Office: NABARD inaugurated its Sub-office in Leh, Union Territory (UT) Ladakh. This reinforces its commitment to reach the remotest regions of the country, with credit, capacity building, and development finance.
ii.NABARD official Whatsapp Channel: It was launched to improve real-time communication and provide direct access of market advisories, FPO information, and product updates to rural stakeholders.
iii.Radio Jingle for Financial Inclusion: It targets rural and semi-urban listeners across All India Radio (AIR) and community radio networks with awareness messages on savings, credit, and insurance.
iv.Graduated Rural Income Generation Programme (GRIP): It is a livelihood intervention programme, designed specifically for ultra-poor rural households.
- The programme will use returnable grants and capacity support to transition them into sustainable economic activity.
v.Documentary Premiere : The event also featured the premiere of ‘Green Roots: NABARD’s Journey Towards Climate Resilience’, a documentary showing its decade-long work in promoting sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship.
vi.Key Publications:
- ‘RIDF@30: A Journey of Rural Transformation’: It celebrates 30 years of the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) and its contribution in reviving rural connectivity, irrigation, education, and health infrastructure.
- ‘Grameen Bharat Mahotsave’ Coffee Table Book: It captures the January 2025 event held at Bharat Mandapam (New Delhi, Delhi).
- ‘Beyond Numbers 2025’: It is a narrative impact report which highlights NABARD’s multi-dimensional work across credit, climate, digital, and institutional ecosystems.
About National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD):
NABARD was established under NABARD Act, 1981. It works under the jurisdiction of Department of Financial Services (DFS), Ministry of Finance (MoF).It was formally established in 1982 based on the recommendations of B.Sivaramman Committee,
Chairman- Shaji K.V.
Headquarters- Mumbai, Maharashtra
