NABARD signed an MoU with Mahatma Phule Renewable Energy and Infrastructure Technology (MAHAPREIT) to finance green and climate-resilient infrastructure in rural India, with Maharashtra as the initial focus. Priority areas include renewable energy, decarbonisation of government buildings, Gram Panchayat infrastructure, water pumping schemes, biogas and bioenergy projects using agricultural residues, and solar-powered micro cold storage for village-level bodies. NABARD Chairman Shaji Krishnan V announced the partnership, combining both organisations' expertise in rural development, climate finance, and renewable energy.

This MoU is strategically significant because it bridges two critical gaps in India's rural development architecture: climate finance and last-mile green infrastructure delivery. NABARD, as the apex development finance institution for agriculture and rural sectors, has a well-established mandate for rural infrastructure financing under schemes like RIDF (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund). However, technical execution of renewable energy projects has historically required specialised agencies. MAHAPREIT fills this role — it is Maharashtra's dedicated agency for renewable energy and green infrastructure. By combining NABARD's financial muscle and rural network with MAHAPREIT's technical expertise, the partnership creates a template for state-level green infrastructure rollout that can be replicated elsewhere. The identified priority areas — solar cold storage, biogas from agricultural residues, decarbonisation of hospitals and technical institutions — directly address farmer income augmentation, post-harvest loss reduction, and rural energy access simultaneously. This aligns with India's NDC (Nationally Determined Contribution) commitments under the Paris Agreement, NABARD's own Climate Change Action Plan, and the broader National Action Plan on Climate Change (NAPCC). For NABARD Grade A aspirants, this MoU exemplifies how development finance institutions are evolving from pure lenders to climate-aligned ecosystem builders, integrating SDG goals with rural livelihood outcomes.