National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) was set up by the RBI in 1982 to take over the agricultural credit functions of the RBI and the refinance functions of Agricultural Refinance Development Corporation (ARDC).
It serves as a refinancing institution for all kinds of production and investment credit to agriculture, small-scale industries, cottage and village industries, handicrafts and rural crafts and real artisans. It has the responsibility of coordinating the activities of Central and State Governments, the Planning Commission and other all-India and State level institutions for rural development.