Govt extends Kisan Credit card facility to fishermen, animal husbandry farmers for working capital needs

• 04 Jul, 2019
• India

The Kisan Credit card facility has been extended by the central government to fisheries and animal husbandry farmers to help them meet their short term credit requirements of rearing of animals, poultry birds, fish, shrimp, other aquatic organisms and capture of fish, said a government statement.

Under Kisan Credit Card (KCC) facility, the credit limit for the existing card holders is Rs 3 lakh including animal husbandry and fisheries activities, whereas the KCC holders for animal husbandry and fisheries have the credit limit of Rs 2 lakh to meet their working capital requirements for animal husbandry and fisheries activities, the statement said. 

Under this facility, interest subvention is available for animal husbandry and fisheries farmers at 2% per annum at the time of disbursal of loan and additional interest subvention at 3% per annum in case of prompt repayment as Prompt Repayment Incentive, said the statement.

However, the criteria for eligible beneficiaries under KCC for animal husbandry and fisheries would be:

1. Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture: This will include fishers, fish farmers--individual & groups/partners/share croppers/tenant farmers--Self Help Groups, Joint Liability Groups and Woman groups. The beneficiaries must own or lease any of the fisheries related activities such as pond, tank, open water bodies, raceway, hatchery, rearing unit, possess necessary license for fish farming and fishing related activities, and any other State specific fisheries and allied activities, it said.

2. Marine Fisheries: The beneficiaries as listed above who own or lease registered fishing vessel, boat, possess necessary fishing license/permission for fishing in estuary and sea, fish farming/ mariculture activities in estuaries and open sea and any other State specific fisheries and allied activities

3. Poultry and small ruminant: Under this category, farmers, poultry farmers either individuals or joint borrower, Joint Liability Groups or Self Help Groups including tenant farmers of sheep/goats/pigs/poultry/birds/rabbit and having owned/rented/leased sheds.

4. Dairy: Farmers and Dairy farmers either individuals or joint borrower, Joint Liability Groups or Self Help Groups including tenant farmers having owned/rented/leased sheds.

Notably, the MoS for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Pratap Chandra Sarangi, gave this information in a written reply to the Lok Sabha today.

Source: https://www.zeebiz.com/india/news-govt-extends-kisan-credit-card-facility-to-fishermen-animal-husbandry-farmers-for-working-capital-needs-104066