The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has projected Rs 123358.41 lakh as ground level credit (GLC) flow for Meghalaya for the year 2012-2013, as against the actual credit flow of 17796.21 lakh during the same period last year

The state's focus paper (SFP) released recently, identified the projected credit flow in agriculture and other allied activities at Rs 34622.22 lakh, the non-farm sector at Rs 29144.32 lakh.

Credit flow in other priority sector, including self help groups, were pegged at Rs 59591.87 lakh.

"The SFP has identified infrastructure gaps and issues drawing government and bank's attention to take appropriate measures for achieving sustainable development in rural sector in the state," NABARD General Manager M T Wankhede told PTI.

He said, the total credit flow in the state was Rs 535.5 crore in 2010-11, out of which East Khasi Hills district accounted about 55 per cent of the credit flow.

The NABARD official said until September 30 last year, Rs 17796.21 lakh was recovered out of a target of Rs 80377.2 lakh, thus accounting to an achievement of only 22 per cent.

Wankhede said "the recovery performance of banks has been poor hovering around 38 per cent in agriculture, 52 per cent in industries and 55 per cent in other priority sector."

"An amount of Rs 1069.47 lakh was released by the Centre in September last year for the implementation of Vaidyanathan Committee Recommendations while Meghalaya has also released its 10 per cent share of Rs 118.82 lakh," Wahkhede said.

The SPF referred to micro-credit initiatives, both under government-sponsored schemes and outside.

"As on September last year, 13,507 SHGs were formed and 8970 SHGs credit-linked," the SPF said.

NABARD is engaged in preparing Potential Linked Credit Plans every year since 1988 for the whole country.

"The state is deficient in power and road density is far below the national average," NABARD said.

"Per capita consumption of electricity is 317.77 KW as against the national average of 373 KW. Only 36.66 km of road is constructed per 100 sq km as against 74.73 km per 100 sq km of national average," it added.

Under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund, NABARD has sanctioned Rs 594.4 crore and released Rs 374.24 crore with respect to 681 projects in Meghalaya including construction of roads, bridges, irrigation, animal dispensaries and abattoir.