In his maiden two-day visit underscoring NABARDs commitment to rural transformation, Dr. Ajay Kumar Sood, Deputy Managing Director (DMD), visited the Jharkhand Regional Office on 16th and 17th June 2025. His itinerary combined strategic reviews, stakeholder interactions, and field-level insights, reflecting NABARDs integrated approach to inclusive development. The visit commenced with a traditional Jharkhandi welcome at the Regional Office in Ranchi. Dr. Sood unveiled a commemorative signboard to mark the International Year of Cooperatives – 2025, reiterating NABARDs strong support to the cooperative ecosystem—a key pillar of rural empowerment. This was followed by the virtual inauguration of three JIVA Natural Farming Projects at Bhandra (Lohardaga), Bishnupur (Hazaribagh), and Sarriayahat (Dumka), aimed at promoting regenerative, low-input agriculture that enhances farmer incomes while preserving ecological integrity. He interacted with the project beneficiaries, FPOs, Project level Tribal Development committees, and Village Watershed Committees at the RO. Dr. Sood later chaired a review meeting with senior bankers to assess the performance under Ground Level Credit (GLC) and deliberate on strategies to move beyond production-centric lending towards value chain financing, aggregation, and market-linked interventions. During the meeting, the Regional Cooperative Banks informed Dr. Sood, DMD that they will now be lending to the LAMPS/ PACS for on-lending to the farmers. On 17th June, Dr. Sood visited the Snehlata Farmers Producer Organisation (FPO) in Rajrappa, Ramgarh, and engaged with the members on critical themes such as market linkages, collective processing, and branding—key drivers of rural enterprise growth. He also visited the JIVA and Tribal Development project of NABARD in Patratu, Ramgarh. He then visited the Namkum LAMPS, a model Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society under the PACS Computerisation Scheme. He along with Shri Suraj Kumar, IAS, Registrar, Cooperative Societies, GoJ, jointly handed the ePACS certificate to the LAMPS. Dr. Sood interacted with the LAMPS officials and the Registrar, Cooperative Societies, Government of Jharkhand, and appreciated the diversified functions. He also advised that the LAMPS could build upon its good work and benefit from the current transformation in the cooperative sector. He also planted a tree at Namkum LAMPS premises as a part of the Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam initiative.

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