Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah said that as of now, only 10 states are part of the Central Government’s Computerization of Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (ARDB) project.
The Union Territories and the states of West Bengal and Kerala have not yet submitted their proposals, while Jammu and Kashmir has recently opted out of the initiative, citing administrative reasons.
The project was approved on 6th October 2023 and aims to digitally empower the long-term rural credit structure across India. It covers 1,851 units of both State Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (SCARDBs) and Primary Cooperative Agriculture and Rural Development Banks (PCARDBs) across 13 states, with a total outlay of Rs 119.40 crore.
Currently, a total of Rs 7.18 crore has been released under the project, and hardware has been delivered to 1,144 units. Among the participating states, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have made the most progress, with hardware supplied to 471 and 467 units respectively. Uttar Pradesh, despite having 342 units sanctioned, has yet to receive any hardware.
Other states involved in the project include Gujarat (195 units), Rajasthan (39 units), Punjab (90 units), Haryana (20 units), Himachal Pradesh (57 units), Tripura (6 units), and Puducherry (2 units). Notably, Himachal Pradesh has received hardware for 202 units, more than the sanctioned count, and Puducherry has seen hardware delivered to 4 units.
The project aims to introduce IT-based efficiency, transparency, and better service delivery in these long-term credit institutions. However, the absence of West Bengal and Kerala, both with significant rural populations, is being closely watched by the sector. Full nationwide participation is essential to ensure balanced rural credit development through this digital push.
