Bhubaneswar: The High Power Committee on the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, known as RIDF, held its first meeting for the financial year 2026-27 at Lok Seva Bhavan in Bhubaneswar. The meeting was chaired by Shri Deoranjan Kumar Singh, Development Commissioner.
Several key government leaders attended the meeting, including Finance Department Principal Secretary Shri Sanjeeb Kumar Mishra, Works Department Principal Secretary Shri Sanjay Kumar Singh, and NABARD CGM Shri Vinod Arya, alongside secretaries from Panchayati Raj, MSME, Rural Development, and Fisheries departments.
Given Odisha’s consistently strong track record, the committee urged NABARD to sanction additional projects under the RIDF for the current financial year. Implementing departments were instructed to accelerate project execution and submit reimbursement claims promptly to guarantee smooth cash flow and timely fund releases.
The committee approved both new and ongoing spill-over initiatives for the 2026-27 financial year, focusing on core sectors such as irrigation, flood defense, road and bridge connectivity, and godown storage facilities. Additionally, projects under the Fisheries and Aquaculture Infrastructure Development Fund were approved, and progress under the Micro Irrigation Fund was formally reviewed.