New Delhi [India], March 5 (ANI): National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) Chairman G R Chintala on Friday took over the chairmanship of the Asia Pacific Rural and Agricultural Credit Association (APRACA).

Chintala is succeeding Bank of Ceylon CEO DPK Gunasekera in office.

Speaking to ANI, Chinatala said, "APRACA is a body of 24 nations with close to 88 members. It is an international organisation, which does a lot of information exchange, takes capacity building initiatives, and creates new institutions. The last chairmanship India got was in 1999, which is almost 19 years back. This is a very big thing for the nation and proud day for an institution to head the international body."73rd EXCOM and 22nd General Assembly Meeting of the APRACA was held in New Delhi on Friday virtually.

"Biggest challenge for us is how to put the things in order and go ahead with the new initiatives and a new kind of requirement for the agriculture sector. Climate change in the agriculture is a big challenge. Agriculture is going to be affected most with the rise in the temperature. Now the time has come for APRACA to do such kind of information exchange to mitigate the climate crises and also adapt strategies so that small farmer's livelihood should be guaranteed," NABARD chairman added.

Chintala further praised the work done by NABARD in the COVID-19 pandemic and said that its balance sheet was closed on Rs 5.32 lakh crore in March 2020, adding that this year they are going to achieve the level of Rs 6 lakh crores.

He added our banks were continuously open during this pendamic and most of the state governments, Chief Ministers borrowed money for infrastructure related projects.

"We have done a tremendous and commendable job with infrastructure financing. So now that infrastructure is going to be created. It is going to bring stability to the Indian agriculture sector," he further said. (ANI)