Background:
The Government of India created the RIDF (Rural Infrastructure Development Fund) in NABARD (National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development) in 1995-96, with an initial corpus of Rs. 2,000 crore. The Government of Assam has taken the initiative for development of road infrastructure in rural areas with the financial assistance from NABARD under RIDF. Implementation of RIDF projects for rural road and bridge construction by PWD in the State started from 1997-98. The total length of roads and number of bridges sanctioned and implemented till 2016-17 are 1890 km and 565 numbers respectively, amounting to Rs. 2357 crore.
Objectives:
The main objective of NABARD funded RIDF is to promote balanced and integrated economic development of rural areas of Assam by constructing roads and bridges in a phased manner.
Salient feature of the Scheme

The Public Works Roads Department prepares the detailed project reports for sanction by NABARD for road and bridge construction works for improving rural connectivity. The department also implements the works. The detailed project reports are submitted through the State Finance department.
A mobilisation advance is provided to the State government on acceptance of terms and conditions accorded by NABARD.
The Finance department of the State is the designated Nodal Agency of Government of Assam.
Loan to be repaid in equal annual instalments within seven years from the date of withdrawal, including a grace period of two years. The interest shall be paid at the end of each quarter i.e. 31 March, 30 June, 30 September and 31 December every year, including grace period.
Interest rates payable to banks on deposits placed with NABARD and loans disbursed by NABARD from RIDF is linked to the Bank Rate prevailing at that point of time.

 
A status of the recent sanction and works under the RIDF is shown below:

Sl.
No.
Trench
Amount Sanctioned
(Rs. in crore)
Up to Date release from
NABARD (Rs. in crore)
Total Nos. of Projects (Nos.)
Nos. of Projects Completed (Nos.)
Total Nos. of Projects yet to be completed (Nos.)

Roads
Bridges
Roads
Bridges
Roads
Bridges

1.
RIDF - XVI
107.2
101.84
4
12
4
12
0
0

2.
RIDF - XVII
162.7
154.565
6
102
6
102
0
0

3.
RIDF - XIX - Batch-I
162.1
154.887
15
44
15
44
0
0

4.
RIDF - XIX - Batch-II
55.7
53.472
27
7
27
7
0
0

5.
RIDF - XX
281.4
269.22347
183
8
183
8
0
0

6.
RIDF - XXI
231.3
217.1679
138
6
138
6
0
0

7.
RIDF - XXII
346.6181
285.87507
112
8
110
8
2
0

8.
RIDF - XXIII
380.2086
336.4066
107
84
97
78
10
6

9.
RIDF - XXIV
1032.384
834.257
0
285
0
153
0
132

10.
RIDF - XXV
688.069
495.73488
0
163
0
58
0
105

11.
RIDF-XXVI
831.20468
618.33211
86
3
29
0
57
3

12.
RIDF-XXVII
1796.033
214.9833
173
39
0
0
173
39

 
Total:
6047.91
3736.74425
851
761
609
476
242
279