**Executive Summary**
On February 12, 2026, the Reserve Bank issued a press release regarding the Revised Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme. These revisions are being issued to consolidate guidelines on agriculture and allied activities to expand coverage and streamline operations. Comments/feedback on the draft master directions are due by March 6, 2026, via specified channels.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **KCC Scheme Applicability:**
* Commercial Banks
* Small Finance Banks
* Regional Rural Banks
* Rural Co-operative Banks
* **Major Changes in the KCC Scheme:**
* Loan sanction and repayment schedules will be standardized based on crop seasons: short duration (12 months) and long duration (18 months).
* KCC tenure extended to 6 years to dovetail with crop seasons, especially for longer duration crops.
* Credit access will be aligned with the scale of finance for each crop season, based on actual cultivation costs.
* Farmers can access finance for technological interventions, including soil testing and weather forecasts. Such expenses are added as eligible components within the 20% additional component towards repairs and maintenance of farm assets.
* **Feedback Submission:**
* Comments/feedback on the draft Master Directions may be submitted by regulated entities, the public, and other stakeholders.
* Deadline: March 6, 2026.
* Channels: "Connect 2 Regulate" section on the website or by email with the specified subject line.
**Impact Analysis**
**Regulated Entities (Banks/Financial Institutions)**
* **Impact:** Need to review and potentially modify their KCC lending practices to align with the revised guidelines.
* **Action Required:** Provide feedback on the draft Master Directions by March 6, 2026, via the prescribed channels.
**Farmers/Borrowers**
* **Impact:** Enhanced access to credit based on actual cultivation costs, longer loan tenure, and expanded eligibility for technological interventions.
* **Action Required:** Be aware of the revised guidelines and their potential benefits, and provide feedback on the draft master directions via the prescribed channels.
**Public/Other Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** General awareness of revisions to the KCC Scheme.
* **Action Required:** Provide feedback on the draft Master Directions by March 6, 2026, via the prescribed channels.
Key Entities Referenced
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: A scheme focused on providing credit to farmers for agriculture and allied activities, subject to revised guidelines.
Commercial Banks – Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme by Commercial Banks
Small Finance Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme by Small Finance Banks
Regional Rural Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme by Regional Rural Banks
Rural Co-operative Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme by Rural Co-operative Banks
प्रेस प्रकाशनी PRESS RELEASE
भारतीय ररज़र्व बैंक
RESERVE BANK OF INDIA
वेबसाइट
:
www.rbi.org.in/hindi
संचार वर्भाग, केंद्रीय कायाालय, शहीद भगत ससिंह मागा, फोटा, म िंबई - 400 001
Website : www.rbi.org.in Department of Communication, Central Office, Shahid Bhagat Singh Marg, Fort,
ई-मेल/email : helpdoc@rbi.org.in Mumbai - 400 001 फोन/Phone: 022 - 2266 0502
February 12, 2026
Revised Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
Reserve Bank had announced, as part of the Statement on Developmental and
Regulatory Policies dated February 06, 2026 that revised guidelines on KCC are
proposed to be issued consolidating those on agriculture and allied activities, with a
view to expand coverage, streamline operational aspects and address emerging
requirements. Accordingly, the following draft Directions are being issued for public
comments.
i. Commercial Banks – Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
ii. Small Finance Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
iii. Regional Rural Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
iv. Rural Co-operative Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
2. The following major changes in the KCC Scheme are reflected in the draft
guidelines:
i. To bring in uniformity in loan sanction and repayment schedules, crop seasons
have been standardized in terms of months i.e. short duration crops (12 months)
and long duration crops (18 months)
ii. To ensure proper dovetailing of loan tenure with crop seasons especially for the
longer duration crops, the tenure of KCC has been extended to 6 years.
iii. To ensure that farmers receive adequate credit based on actual cost of
cultivation, drawing limits under KCC has been aligned with the scale of finance
for each crop season.
iv. To enable farmers to access finance for technological interventions such as soil
testing, real time weather forecasts and organic/good agricultural practices
certification etc such expenses has been added as eligible components within
20% additional component towards repairs and maintenance of farm assets.
3. The comments / feedback on the draft Master Directions may be submitted by the
regulated entities and members of public / other stakeholders on or before March 6,
2026 through the following channels:
i. the ‘Connect 2 Regulate’ section on the website by following the corresponding
hyperlink provided against each document in the page where they are hosted;
or
ii. by email with the subject line ‘Feedback on (full name of the draft Amendment
Directions (including the type of Regulated Entity))’.
(Brij Raj)
Press Release: 2025-2026/2095 Chief General Manager