Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued draft revised guidelines for the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme to expand its coverage, streamline operations, and address emerging requirements in agricultural financing.

The draft directions, applicable to Commercial Banks, Small Finance Banks, Regional Rural Banks, and Rural Co-operative Banks, were proposed following the RBI’s developmental and regulatory policy announcement on February 6, 2026. The central bank has invited public and stakeholder feedback on the draft guidelines until March 6, 2026.

Key proposed changes include standardising crop seasons to ensure uniform loan sanction and repayment schedules, with short-duration crops defined as 12 months and long-duration crops as 18 months. The overall tenure of the KCC has also been extended to six years to better align loan repayment with crop cycles.

To ensure farmers receive adequate financing, the drawing limits under KCC will be aligned with the scale of finance for each crop season. Additionally, the revised guidelines allow farmers to access credit for technological and modern agricultural needs, such as soil testing, real-time weather advisory services, and certification for organic and good agricultural practices, under the existing provision for farm asset maintenance.

The RBI said the revisions aim to strengthen agricultural credit delivery and better support farmers’ evolving financial needs.