The Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme by the government aims to reach out to over 1 Crore farmers. This scheme seeks to offer a formal credit source so that beneficiaries do not face hassles that may arise by availing funds from an informal source. Farmers can avail advances at a nominal interest rate through this scheme.
What is a KCC card?
This card ensures that an individual can avail financing from financial institutions at affordable interest rates. It is a specialized credit card with which farmers can withdraw the sanctioned funds.
Farmers can also use this card at any point of sale and ATMs. Any required expense like buying seeds, purchasing fertilizers, diesel cost, and electricity costs can be funded with this card.
Eligibility criteria
To enjoy benefits under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, individuals must belong to the following categories:
- Individual farmers who are owner-cultivators.
- Farmers belonging to joint-groups who are owner-cultivators.
- Farmers who are sharecroppers, tenant farmers, or an oral lessee.
- Share groups and joint liability groups of sharecroppers, tenant farmers, etc.
Required documents
- Farmers are required to submit the following documents along with an application form to apply for the KCC scheme.
- Identity proof such as any of the government-authorised documents including Aadhaar card, Voter ID Card, PAN card, driving license, etc.
- Address proof such as KYC documents.
- Documents of the owned land.
- Passport size photographs.
- Post-dated cheque if requested by a financial institution.
- Benefits of a Kisan Credit Card
Farmers applying under the KCC scheme can enjoy the following benefits:
Flexible repayment options
KCC scheme offers an extensive range of repayment options for farmers. They can avail funds for a period of up to 3 years and repay an amount upon completion of a harvest season. It ensures that they can repay their credit card debt effectively.
Single credit facility
Cards issued under the KCC scheme ensure a single facility for farmers to avail credits for all their required expenses. They can use the funds to pay for any of the costs related to cultivation.
Minimum documentation and hassle-free disbursal
The documentation process to avail such credit cards is minimal. Farmers can apply for a card under this scheme by filling an application form and submitting required documents.
Furthermore, financial institutions approve the card within a few working days. They provide a passbook and a credit card to the farmers after approval. Individuals can use a credit card to withdraw funds from any ATM across this country.
Application process
Individuals are required to follow the steps mentioned below to apply for a credit card under the KCC scheme.
- Step 1 – Visit the official website of any authorised financial institution and click on the Kisan Credit Card section.
- Step 2 – Apply for the card by filling the personal details required and submit them.
- Step 3 – If the application is approved, a representative from the financial institution will get in touch, and the applicant has to submit the required documents.
Farmers can also visit the nearest branch of any authorised financial institution to apply for the credit card.
Furthermore, if an individual is not eligible for this scheme and they want a credit card with ample benefits, they can opt for other credit cards like the Bajaj Finserv RBL SuperCard. Cardholders can enjoy benefits like interest-free ATM cash withdrawal for 50 days, instant personal loan against credit limit and more.
The KCC scheme ensures that farmers can avail the required funds from a formal establishment in a hassle-free manner. Additionally, the introduction of National Common Mobility Card ensures that they can transport the cultivated crops conveniently.
