PM KISAN: 2.5 cr Kisan Credit Card with Rs 2.62 lakh cr credit limit issued to farmers; process to apply for KCC online via SBI explained

The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme is a Central scheme that provides farmers with timely access to credit.

The KCC scheme was introduced to ensure that the credit requirements for farmers in the agriculture, fisheries, and animal husbandry sectors was being met.

The Narendra Modi government has notified on 8th October that around 2.5 crore farmers have been provided Kisan Credit Card (KCC) with a credit limit of Rs 2.62 lakh crore via Saturation Drive.

The Department of Financial Services has tweeted: “A major milestone has been achieved under the ongoing #KCCSaturationDrive by providing KCC to around 2.5 crore farmers with a credit limit of Rs 2.62 lakh crore. #CreditCardForEveryKisan.”

The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme is a Central scheme that provides farmers with timely access to credit. The scheme was launched in 1998 with the aim to provide short-term formal credit to farmers. It was created by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

The PM Kisan Credit Cards have now been linked to the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PM Kisan). Farmers can seek a loan from KCC for up to Rs 3 lakh at 4 per cent interest rate. It is also easier for PM Kisan beneficiaries to apply for KCC.

“More than 2 crore Kisan Credit Cards were issued during Corona person, most of them to small farmers. Such farmers will be benefitted by the agriculture infrastructure and connectivity infrastructure that is coming up in the country,” according to PIB.

The KCC scheme was introduced to ensure that the credit requirements for farmers in the agriculture, fisheries, and animal husbandry sectors was being met. This was done by helping them avail short-term loans and provide them with a credit limit to purchase equipment and for their other expenses as well.

Moreover, with the help of KCC, farmers are exempt from the high interest rates of the regular loans offered by banks as the interest rate for KCC starts as low as 2 per cent and averages at 4 per cent. With the help of this scheme, farmers can repay their loans depending on the harvesting period of their crop for which the loan was given.

Farmers can also apply for Kisan Credit Card through the State Bank of India. SBI started this online service to facilitate KCC Review. SBI tweeted: “Empowering farmers by facilitating KCC Review feature on YONO Krishi platform! SBI farmer customers can now apply for KCC review without visiting the branch, need to download SBI YONO app.”

A major milestone has been achieved under the ongoing #KCCSaturationDrive by providing KCC to around 2.5 crore farmers with a credit limit of Rs.2.62 lakh crore. #CreditCardForEveryKisan

— DFS (@DFS_India) October 8, 2021