Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Fisheries scheme
Kartavya Desk Staff
#### Facts for Prelims (FFP)
Source: Krishi Jagran
Context: The Department of Fisheries has integrated the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Fisheries scheme onto the JanSamarth Portal, promising enhanced access to credit for fishers, fish farmers, and stakeholders nationwide.
JanSamarth is an innovative online platform facilitating direct connections between lenders and beneficiaries. Citizens can access loans under select Central government schemes through this platform. In 2018-19, the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facility was extended to fishers and fish farmers to address their working capital needs. The scheme covers various categories of farmers, including individuals, joint borrowers, Joint Liability Groups, and Self Help Groups. It offers an annual interest subvention of 2%, with an additional subvention of 3% for prompt repayment.
Key Points about Kisan Credit Cards (KCC):
• Introduction: The KCC scheme was launched in 1998 to provide timely credit support to farmers for cultivation and other needs.
• Implementing Agencies: Commercial Banks, Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), Small Finance Banks, and Cooperatives are involved in implementing the scheme.
• Features: KCC comes with an ATM-enabled RuPay debit card, simplified procedures, and built-in cost escalation. Aadhaar linkage is mandatory for interest subvention.
• Objectives: KCC aims to meet short-term credit requirements for cultivation, post-harvest expenses, marketing, consumption, maintenance of farm assets, and investment in agriculture and allied activities.
• Financial Provisions: The government provides interest subvention and prompt repayment incentives to farmers to ensure agricultural credit availability at a reasonable cost.
• Achievements: Around 25 lakh applications for Fishery KCC have been sanctioned. The government aims to cover 2.5 crore farmers under the KCC scheme through a special saturation drive.
Prelims Links:
Under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes? (UPSC 2020)
• Working capital for maintenance of farm assets
• Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks
• Consumption requirements of farm households
• Post-harvest expenses
• Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a. 1, 2 and 5 only
b. 1, 3 and 4 only
c. 2, 3, 4 and 5 only
d. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5
Ans: B