Lok Sabha Question No. 445 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-11-30
Subject: Kisan Credit Card to Fishermen
Ministry: FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING
Asked by: Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 445 TO BE ANSWERED ON 30 th NOVEMBER, 2021

## Kisan Credit Cards to Fishermen

## 445.    ADV ADOOR PRAKASH:

Will the Minister of FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING मत्स्यपालन , पशुपालनऔरडेयरीमंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the  Government is  planning  to  extend  the  facility  of  Kisan  Credit  Card  to  all  fishermen  in  the country;
- (b)   if so, the details thereof and the plan prepared for the same;
- (c)   Whether the Government is aware that fishermen are the most vulnerable section in the country to climate change and huge employment loss; and
- (d)  if so, whether the Government will also consider a job guarantee scheme for fishermen for ensuring minimum employment in a year?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF FISHERIES, ANIMAL HUSBANDRY AND DAIRYING

## (SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) & (b)Yes Sir, the Government of India has extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the fishers, fish farmers and animal husbandry farmers to help them meet their working capital needs. The KCC facility will help fisheries and animal husbandry farmers to meet their shortterm credit requirements of rearing of animals, poultry birds, fish, shrimp, other aquatic organisms and capture of fish.  The detailed guidelines for issuance of KCCs to animal husbandry farmers and fisheries laying down the eligibility criterion and scale of finance etc. has been issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on 4 th February, 2019 and a copy of the same is furnished at Annexure-I. Further, a special drive was launched w.e.f. 1st June 2020 to provide KCC to the farmers, with special focus on PM-KISAN beneficiaries, Animal Husbandry farmers, fish farmers and fishermen. Further, the Ministry  of  Fisheries  and  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying  in  association  with  the  Department  of  Financial Services is pursuing the matter with all the State Governments/UTsand the State Level Bankers Committees (SLBCs) to spread awareness on the KCC facility and to canvass applications through special campaigns. The KCC Campaign is being held from 15 th November, 2021 to 15 th February, 2022 for providing Kisan Credit Card facility to all eligible Fisheries Farmers. Till 15 th November, 2021, a total of 61,650KCCs have been issued to the fisher and fish farmers.

(c)    and  (d)  The  Department  of  Fisheries,  Ministry  of  Fisheries,  Animal  Husbandry  and  Dairying  has implementing a flagship scheme namely 'Pradhan MantriMatsyaSampadaYojana (PMMSY)to bring aboutsustainable development of fisheries sector in Indiawith an estimated investment of Rs. 20,050 crore for a period  of  5  years from  financial  year  2020-21  to  FY  2024-25  in  all  States/Union  Territories  as  a  part  of AatmaNirbhar  Bharat Package.  The  scheme  focuses  on  enhancing  fish  production  and  productivityand  on increasinggainful  employment  opportunities,  both  direct  and  indirect,  in  fisheries  and  aquaculture  sector  for fishermen and other stakeholders such as Fish farmers, fish workers and fish vendors.

*****

Statement referred to in reply to the part (a) and (b) of the LokSabha unstarred question No. 445 for reply on 30 th November, 2021.

RBI Guidelines

## Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Working Capital for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries

RBI/2018-19/112FIDD.CO.FSD.BC.12/05.05.010/2018-19February 04, 2019

## 1. Introduction

In the Budget 2018-19 the Union Government had announced their decision to extend the facilities of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to Animal Husbandry farmers and Fisheries (AH & F) to help them meet their working capital  requirements.  In  pursuance  of  the  said  budget  announcement  the  matter  has  been  examined,  and  in consultation  with  all  stakeholders,  it  has  been  decided  to  extend  the  KCC  facility  for  working  capital requirement for activities related to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries.

## 2. Purpose:

The KCC facility will meet the short term credit requirements of rearing of animals, birds, fish, shrimp, other aquatic organisms, capture of fish.

## 3. Eligibility:

The criteria for eligible beneficiaries under KCC for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries will be as under:

## 3.1 Fishery

## 3.1.1 Inland Fisheries and Aquaculture

3.1.1.1  Fishers,  Fish  Farmers  (individual  &  groups/  partners/  share  croppers/  tenant  farmers),  Self  Help Groups, Joint Liability Groups and women groups.

3.1.1.2 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.

3.1.2.1  Beneficiaries  listed  at  3.1.1.1  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.

## 3.2 Poultry and small ruminant

3.2.1 Farmers, poultry farmers either individual or joint borrower, Joint Liability Groups or Self Help Groups including tenant farmer of sheep/goats/pigs/poultry/birds/rabbit and having owned/rented/leased sheds.

## 3.3 Dairy

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

## 4. Scale of Finance

4.1 The scale of finance will be fixed by the District Level Technical Committee (DLTC) based on local cost worked out on the basis of per acre/per unit/per animal/per bird etc.

4.2  The  working  capital  components  in  fisheries,  under  the  scale  of  finance,  may  include recurring  cost towards seed, feed, organic and inorganic fertilisers, lime/other soil conditioners, harvesting and marketing charges, fuel/electricity  charges, labour, lease rent (if leased water area) etc. For capture fisheries, working capital may include the cost of fuel, ice, labouring charges, mooring/landing charges etc. may form part of the scale of finance.

4.3 The working capital components in Animal Husbandry, under the scale of finance, may include recurring cost towards feeding, veterinary aid, labour, water and electricity supply.

4.4  The  maximum  period  for  assessment  of  working  capital  requirement  may  be  based  on  the  cash  flow statement or completion of one production cycle.

4.5  Fisheries  and  Animal  Husbandry  experts  of  the  Govt.  may  be  made  members  of  the  DLTC  for  giving technical inputs for assessing the cash credit requirement.

4.6 Progressive entrepreneurs of livestock/fisheries sector may also be included in the DLTC for providing field level inputs while assessing the working capital requirements.

## 5. General Guidelines

5.1 Drawing  power: The  drawing  power  will  be  worked  on  the  basis  of  the  latest  valuation  of  stocks, receivables and/or cash flows as per terms of sanction.

5.2 Repayment: The loan will be in the nature of a revolving cash credit limit. Repayment will be fixed as per the cash flow/income generation pattern of the activity undertaken by the borrower.

5.3 Monitoring  of  end  use: The  account/smart  card  for  the  loan  issued  under  the  scheme  is  to be maintained/issued separately from the existing KCC loan to monitor the utilization limit. The monitoring of end use of funds will be in line with other loans (KCC on crop loans included) viz., field visits to the site of unit/project  to  be  carried  out  by  the  branch  officials  for  checking  the  progress  of  the  unit.  Banks  will periodically review the facility and continue/withdraw/scale down the facility based on the performance of the borrower.

5.4 Prudential norms: The extant prudential norms on income recognition, asset classification and provisioning on allied activities will apply.

5.5 Rate of Interest :  The rate of interest will be as stipulated in DBR's Master Direction - Reserve Bank of India (Interest Rate on Advances) Directions 2016.

5.6 All other guidelines laid down in Kisan Credit Card Scheme for short term crop loans will be applicable mutatis mutandis.