Kisan Credit Card

Kisan Credit Card scheme was introduced by NDA Government in August 1998 with the aim to provide adequate and timely short-term credit needs of farmers during the cropping season. It was first proposed in the Budget 1998-99 by then Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha. Consequent to this, NABARD had prepared a Model Kisan Credit Card Scheme in consultation with the Major Banks on the basis of R V Gupta Committee.

Objective & Rationale Behind Kisan Credit Card Scheme

Due to lack of awareness among farmers and unnecessary delays, cumbersome procedure and improper practices adopted by institutional lending agencies; a large number of Farmers heavily depend on non-institutional sources of credit for their frequent needs to purchase farm inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, pesticides etc. The non-institutional credit is not only expensive but also counter-productive. The Kisan Credit Card scheme was launched to provide adequate, timely and cost effective institutional credit from the banking system to the farmers for their cultivation needs. Farmers can not only purchase inputs but also can withdraw cash from this credit card for their input needs.

How Kisan Credit Card Scheme works?

Kisan Credit Cards are issued to the farmers on the basis of their land holdings and other criteria such as timely payment of past credits etc. Farmers covered under the Kisan Credit Card scheme are issued with a credit card and a pass book or a credit card cum pass book incorporating the name, address, particulars of land holding, borrowing limit, validity period, a passport size photograph of holder etc., which may serve both as an identity card and facilitate recording of transactions on an ongoing basis.

Salient Features of the Scheme

The Kisan Credit Card  scheme is implemented by public sector commercial banks, RRBs and cooperative banks. It was launched to provides short term loans in the form of production credit. However, later its scope was extended to term loans for agriculture and allied activities and reasonable component for consumption loan. Thus, currently this scheme provides:

  • Production credit
  • Working capital requirements for allied activities
  • Ancillary credit requirements related to crop production
  • Contingent needs and
  • Accidental insurance of KCC borrowers.

Crop loans disbursed under KCC scheme for notified crops are covered under National Crop Insurance scheme. The purpose of the scheme is to protect the interest of farmers against crop loss caused by natural calamities, pest attacks etc.

Benefits of Kisan Credit Card Scheme

  • Simplifies disbursement procedures
  • Removes rigidity regarding cash and kind
  • No need to apply for a loan for every crop
  • Assured availability of credit at any time enabling reduced interest burden for the farmer.
  • Helps buy seeds, fertilizers at farmer’s convenience and choice
  • Helps buy on cash-avail discount from dealers
  • Credit facility for 3 years – no need for seasonal appraisal
  • Maximum credit limit based on agriculture income
  • Any number of withdrawals subject to credit limit
  • Repayment only after harvest
  • Rate of interest as applicable to agriculture advance
  • Security, margin and documentation norms as applicable to agricultural advance
  • Access to adequate and timely credit to farmers
  • Full year’s credit requirement of the borrower taken care of.
  • Minimum paper work and simplification of documentation for drawal of funds from the bank.
  • Flexibility to draw cash and buy inputs.
  • Assured availability of credit at any time enabling reduced interest burden for the farmer.
  • Flexibility of drawals from a branch other than the issuing branch at the discretion of the bank.

Features of Kisan Credit Card Scheme

  • Farmers eligible for production credit of Rs. 5000 or more are eligible for issue of Kisan Credit Card.
  • Eligible farmers to be provided with a Kisan Credit Card and a pass book or card-cum-pass book.
  • Revolving cash credit facility involving any number of drawls and repayments within the limit.
  • Limit to be fixed on the basis of operational land holding, cropping pattern and scale of finance.
  • Entire production credit needs for full year plus ancillary activities related to crop production to be considered while fixing limit.
  • Sub-limits may be fixed at the discretion of banks.
  • Card valid for 3 years subject to annual review. As incentive for good performance, credit limits could be enhanced to take care of increase in costs, change in cropping pattern, etc.
  • Each drawals to be repaid within a maximum period of 12 months.
  • Conversion/re-scheduling of loans also permissible in case of damage to crops due to natural calamities.
  • Security, margin, rate of interest, etc. as per RBI norms.
  • Operations may be through issuing branch (and also PACS in the case of Cooperative Banks) through other designated branches at the discretion of bank.
  • Withdrawals through slips/cheques accompanied by card and passbook.

Benefits to Banks

  • Reduction in work load for branch staff by avoidance of repeat appraisal and processing of loan papers under Kisan Credit Card Scheme.
  • Minimum paper work and simplification of documentation for drawal of funds from the bank.
  • Improvement in recycling of funds and better recovery of loans.
  • Reduction in transaction cost to the banks.
  • Better Banker – Client relationships.

Insurance Under KCC

Kisan Credit Card holders are covered by a personal accident insurance. This cover is available when the person enters the scheme. The cover is as follows:

  • Death : `50,000
  • Disability: `25000
  • Maximum Age to enter : 70 years

How farmers use Kisan Credit Cards?

Under KCC scheme, the loan amount is disbursed in cash through drawings made via withdrawal slips accompanied by KCC-cum-passbook. Cheque books are also issued to literate KCC holders enjoying KCC limit of Rs. 25000 and above.

Interest and other charges on Kisan Credit Cards

The interest rates on Kisan Credit Cards varies from bank to bank and also on borrowing limits. Generally, 9% per annum interest rate is charged for KCC borrowing limit up to Rs. 3 Lakh. However, central government provides interest subvention to the financing institutions. If the track record of the card holder is good; a further 2% interest subsidy is provided. After three years sound track record, a card holder can also get the credit limit enhanced.

Apart from that there are some overhead costs for borrowing under KCC. These include processing fee, charges on land mortgage deed, passport photo charges, insurance premium etc.


30 Comments

  1. Ethan_hunt

    September 19, 2011 at 8:05 pm

    Nice information..really praiseworthy

  2. vipin

    September 27, 2011 at 5:45 pm

    Best website for current GK and study material for bank PO and civil services with accurate information in lucid language.
    Thanks for taking pain for welfare of aspirants like us.

  3. sushilpandey1975

    January 1, 2013 at 4:29 pm

    Pls tell if some one apply kisan card rs. 50000/- at age 72 he died in heart attack at age 74 is there accedent fenifit applicable ?

    • Sungreension

      January 30, 2018 at 4:45 pm

      Yes…. He gets

    • Vishal Yelwande

      June 22, 2019 at 2:37 pm

      But maximum age limit for entering the scheme is 70 yrs then how it is possible to came under the scheme at 72 yrs of age

  4. kolijagmal

    January 17, 2013 at 6:26 pm

    nice bhai

  5. ashi

    May 19, 2014 at 9:47 pm

    Brilliant yaar……..

  6. sagar singh

    June 11, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    sir, pl tell me what document are to be required for kisan credit card

  7. iyyappan

    September 7, 2014 at 2:50 pm

    how to get kisan card

  8. RAMESH PATIDAR

    October 7, 2014 at 10:15 am

    dear sir in kcc the paper work are very trubble and expenditureapproxly 3000 thousend in each case and time taken approx five day in paper work and also two guarnter required with his agriculture land.if a former his land handover to bank against his loan why the bank required 2 guarnter,so please confirm me on this subject.

    • RAMESH PATIDAR

      October 7, 2014 at 10:37 am

      if a farmer hand over land paper to bank against his kcc loan so why two guarnter required by any bank

  9. Gaurav

    December 7, 2014 at 1:32 am

    thank you
    what you have given is sufficient for us ,,,
    again thank u for such detail explanation :)

  10. vijaypal singh

    January 18, 2015 at 9:10 am

    Sir pls tell me about rate of interest on kcc half yearly , yrly and after on year .

  11. vijaypal singh

    January 18, 2015 at 9:10 am

    Sir pls tell me about rate of interest on kcc in rural area half yearly , yrly and after on year .

  12. pawan

    January 22, 2015 at 4:42 pm

    sir pls tell me about rate of interest on kcc in rural area half yearly, yearly and after one year.

  13. Amit Gupta

    February 9, 2015 at 5:41 pm

    what are the major problems facing by farmers for taking KCC? what % of KCC loan is used for various investment activities by farmers?

  14. panchajanya krishnamurthy

    February 14, 2015 at 4:06 pm

    how to get credit card and is there any insurance pls give info.

  15. rakesh kumar sharma

    February 22, 2015 at 9:15 pm

    please, sir tell me about what interest rates of kcc in rajasthan

  16. suresh sankhala

    March 12, 2015 at 8:29 pm

    Pl. Tell me eligibility for Kisan credit card

  17. yashoda

    April 14, 2015 at 12:25 pm

    A person having kcc taken loan against it. Unfortunately he died just after 3years nobody had time and knowledge to renew the card. Is he under cover of insurance when the loan is still pending? The family is in great need and he had a saving account in the same bank.

  18. pawan sharma

    April 14, 2015 at 8:57 pm

    Hello sir
    Pls tell me if the ownership of land in joint than
    Whether individual take benefit of this scheme or not on ur land’s share individually
    Pls rply sooonnnnn
    Pls sir

  19. satyendra vyas

    May 5, 2015 at 10:26 pm

    please tell me from my account of KCC insurance for crop was deducted but others near by my farming land got the payment against insurance for same crop
    but I do not ,what to do now?

  20. Harindra Singh

    May 11, 2015 at 11:02 pm

    Sir,
    Pls tell me that PNB KCC account CHECK BOOK issued or not?

  21. Ramprasad meena

    May 28, 2015 at 2:02 pm

    I have need a kasan cradit kard

  22. chandan a s

    July 20, 2015 at 5:33 pm

    sir,
    please how to get kisan card for farmer

  23. mahender

    July 31, 2015 at 1:18 pm

    Which state issued first rupay debit card

  24. mukesh kumar bamil

    August 6, 2015 at 9:55 am

    Sir any income criteria for assessing kcc limit or minimum income requrement for availing kcc

  25. soumen das

    September 4, 2015 at 5:55 am

    Comment this year kcc lone discount/les?plz tel

  26. vikash saharan

    May 3, 2017 at 4:25 pm

    Plz sir help me my father is age 66 year death hartatack and my kcc is 290000 sir kuch ho sakta h death is jan.16

  27. Jeeva Nand Thakur

    July 28, 2017 at 12:52 pm

    I have kcc at co-operative bank thunag mandi hp(india)
    the bank deducteded Rs.8000/-on dt.04.01 2017, for weather, show in my passbook.
    bank says : this is crop insurance for kcc
    But , since jun.17 to till date Apple’s not setting due to temperature.
    So please give me information to cover my crop insurance
    What to do now ?

Leave a Reply