**Executive Summary**
The Reserve Bank of India is issuing draft directions for public comment to revise the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme. This revision consolidates agriculture and allied activities to expand coverage, streamline operations, and address emerging requirements. Feedback on the draft is due by March 6, 2026.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Scope of KCC Scheme:**
* Revised guidelines on KCC are proposed to consolidate those on agriculture and allied activities.
* **Applicability:**
* Commercial Banks – Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
* Small Finance Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
* Regional Rural Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
* Rural Co-operative Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
* **Changes to KCC Scheme:**
* Loan sanction and repayment schedules are standardized based on crop seasons: short (12 months) and long duration (18 months).
* KCC tenure has been extended to 6 years to align with longer duration crops.
* Credit limits are aligned with the scale of finance for each crop season to ensure adequate credit based on cultivation costs.
* Farmers can access finance for technological interventions, with expenses such as soil testing, weather forecasts, and organic certification being eligible components (up to 20% for repairs and maintenance).
* **Public Feedback:**
* Comments/feedback can be submitted by regulated entities, public members, and other stakeholders by March 6, 2026.
* Feedback can be submitted through the 'Connect 2 Regulate' section of the website.
* Alternatively, feedback can be sent via email with the subject line: 'Feedback on (full name of the draft Amendment Directions (including the type of Regulated Entity))'.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholders: Regulated Entities**
* **Impact:** Banks and other regulated entities must implement the revised guidelines for KCC.
* **Action Required:** Review the draft directions, provide feedback by March 6, 2026, and prepare for implementation upon finalization.
**Stakeholders: Farmers**
* **Impact:** Access to credit will be streamlined and adjusted to better align with crop seasons, costs, and technological needs.
* **Action Required:** Understand the changes to KCC and provide feedback if desired.
**Stakeholders: Public/Other Stakeholders**
* **Impact:** The public and other stakeholders have the opportunity to provide feedback on the draft guidelines.
* **Action Required:** Review the draft directions and provide feedback by March 6, 2026.
Key Entities Referenced
Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: A scheme to provide farmers with credit for agriculture and allied activities
Reserve Bank: The central bank responsible for issuing the revised KCC guidelines
Commercial Banks: One of the banking sectors covered under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
Small Finance Banks: One of the banking sectors covered under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
Regional Rural Banks: One of the banking sectors covered under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme
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