Synopsis The mission of NABARD is to promote sustainable and equitable agriculture and rural development through effective credit support, related services, institutions building and other innovative initiatives. The policy initiatives of NABARD are mainly geared to increase the credit dispensation for improving production and productivity in rural areas. The book seeks to examine the role of NABARD for rural prosperity, review the policies and programs of NABARD in promoting rural development at national level, analyze the innovative schemes implemented by NABARD, the utilization and repayment behavior of borrowers and assess the impact of credit programs on borrowers in terms of employment creation and income generation, and prescribe the strategies which will enable the existing credit schemes to emerge stronger and more viable. The findings of the study shows that the performance of NABARD at macro level is found to be in line with its objectives but ground level realities are otherwise. The situation warrants participation of borrowers inn planning of the lending activities which alone can minimize misutilization and default in repayment. The book suggests that organization of borrowers as the only way to make the ground level lending a success. The book with its many insights will interest all those in the field of banking, rural finance, rural development as well as policy makers, bureaucrats and NGOs and scholars.