Mumbai, Oct. 3 -- NABKISAN Finance Limited has raised Rs 180 crore through India's first social bond dedicated exclusively to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), with the issue subscribed 1.8 times, the Finance Ministry said on Saturday.

The five-year bond, listed on the National Stock Exchange on October 1, carries an 8.10 per cent coupon and will mature in September 2031. It has been rated CRISIL AAA (Stable) and CARE AAA (Stable).

The proceeds will be used to finance access to safe water, sanitation and hygiene solutions in rural and underserved communities, marking an attempt to channel capital-market funding into a development segment that has traditionally relied heavily on public and institutional financing.

The strong subscri...