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**Summary:**

The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has projected a credit potential of ₹4.46 lakh crore for Karnataka in FY 2025-26, closely matching the State-Level Bankers’ Committee’s plan. At NABARD’s 44th Foundation Day, officials highlighted their substantial financial support to Karnataka, including refinance assistance to banks, infrastructure finance to the state government, and direct refinance to cooperative banks. Significant investments are also being made in industrial parks to generate employment in rural areas. NABARD is focusing on digital outreach and financial inclusion, deploying micro-ATMs and improving connectivity. A booklet showcasing successful Farmer-Producer Organizations (FPOs) was released. The Chief Secretary of Karnataka urged farmers to leverage NABARD schemes and become entrepreneurs, particularly by adding value to their produce through processing.

**News Article:**

**NABARD Forecasts ₹4.46 Lakh Crore Credit Potential for Karnataka’s Agriculture and Rural Development in FY26**

**Bengaluru, July 16, 2025** – The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has projected a credit potential of ₹4.46 lakh crore for Karnataka in the financial year 2025-26, according to Surendra Babu, Chief General Manager of NABARD’s Karnataka Regional Office. This figure closely aligns with the State-Level Bankers’ Committee’s annual credit plan of ₹4.38 lakh crore.

Speaking at NABARD’s 44th Foundation Day event, Babu highlighted NABARD’s extensive support to Karnataka, totaling ₹27,846 crore since its inception. This includes significant refinance assistance to banks and cooperative institutions, infrastructure finance to the State government, and direct refinance to district central cooperative banks. Notably, ₹4,500 crore has been sanctioned to the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board to develop industrial parks across the state, expected to generate approximately 60,000 employment opportunities for rural youth and women.

In a push for digital outreach, NABARD has deployed over 4,200 micro-ATMs to enhance banking access in remote areas. A further ₹3.08 crore was allocated to the Karnataka Gramin Bank to improve connectivity infrastructure.

During the event, NABARD released a booklet titled ‘Success Stories of FPOs in Karnataka’, showcasing the accomplishments of farmer-producer organisations in accessing markets, adding value to their produce, utilizing digital platforms, and establishing resilient business models.

Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh acknowledged NABARD’s crucial role in supporting sustainable agriculture and rural infrastructure development in Karnataka. She urged farmers to actively utilize NABARD’s schemes and embrace entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of value addition. “Instead of selling raw produce like mangoes, farmers should process them into various products,” Rajneesh stated, highlighting the potential for year-round income generation through local processing units.

The event underscores NABARD’s commitment to fostering agricultural and rural development in Karnataka through financial support, digital initiatives, and the promotion of farmer-led entrepreneurship.

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