Banks covered large section of farmers under Kisan Credit Card scheme

The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme, introduced in 1998, has received overwhelming response from the farmers as well as the banks. The Centre has entrusted Nabard the responsibility of ensuring proper implementation of the scheme and timely monitoring.

According to the figures available the banking sector, including regional rural banks and cooperative banks, has issued 628,392 kisan credit cards (KCC) with a credit limit of Rs 3,272.08 crore in Karnataka during the first nine months of 2007-08.

All the eligible card holders have been covered under personal accident insurance scheme.

As per the data collected by Syndicate Bank, the conveyor of state level bankers committee (SLBC), during the year commercial banks have issued 235,988 cards with a credit limit of Rs 1,667.24 crore, while regional rural banks have issued 144,388 cards with credit limit of Rs 996.68 crore in the state. While the co-operative banks issued 247,016 cards with Rs 608.16 crore credit limit.

According to Nabard, the monitoring committee there is still enough scope for expanding the scheme to many more areas of the state as many farmers have been left out uncovered under this scheme. Especially, farmers living in the backward districts like Bidar, Gulbarga, Raichur, Chitradurga and Davanagere are yet to be brought under the KCC scheme.

As per the guidelines received from the Centre, Nabard had issued instructions to cooperatives and RRBs to work hard and collect data of the farmers not covered under the KCC scheme, to bring into fold.

In addition to this emphasis has been made to cover more women under the scheme so that they can have more access to credit. Nabard has also instructed all the banks to cover small farmers also evaluate the progress regarding issuance of KCCs with specific reference to coverage of women, small and marginal farmers in the above backward districts.