RBI Discontinues Quarterly Priority Sector Agri Lending Data Submission
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/430 · issued 16 Mar 2011 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI has discontinued the quarterly statement on priority sector advances for agricultural lending, effective from March 2011. Banks no longer need to submit this specific data format to RBI.
The rule, in the simplest words
RBI stopped the need to send a quarterly report on agriculture loans (priority sector advances) after March 2011.
All Indian scheduled commercial banks no longer have to fill out that specific statement each quarter.
Banks must still meet their overall agriculture loan targets and keep internal records of those loans.
Update internal checklists and stop the old reporting task, but keep past data for audit purposes.
How it plays out — a real example
Rohit, a priority sector lending officer at State Bank of India in Mumbai, happily stops preparing the quarterly agriculture‑loan statement after March 2011 and now just checks the bank’s total farm‑loan target in the regular reporting system, while keeping the old reports safely for any future audit.
What changed
RBI has withdrawn the requirement for domestic scheduled commercial banks to submit quarterly data on priority sector advances related to agricultural lending. This change takes effect from the period ending March 2011, replacing the earlier mandate from January 2004.
What it means for you
Banks can reduce compliance overhead by eliminating one quarterly reporting obligation for agricultural priority sector lending. This simplifies data submission processes, though banks must still meet overall priority sector lending targets and maintain internal records.
What you must do
Stop preparing and submitting the quarterly priority sector agricultural lending statement from March 2011 onwards.
Update your internal reporting schedules and compliance checklists to remove this submission.
Ensure continued compliance with priority sector lending targets for agriculture through other reporting channels.
Retain historical records of previously submitted data for audit and reference purposes.
Who it affects
All domestic scheduled commercial banks, Compliance and reporting departments, Priority sector lending teams
❓ Common questions
Do we still need to report priority sector agricultural lending data in any other format?
This circular only discontinues the specific quarterly statement format prescribed in 2004. Banks must continue to meet priority sector lending targets and report through other existing channels as required by RBI.
From which quarter does this discontinuation apply?
The discontinuation is effective from the period ending March 2011, meaning the statement for Q4 FY2010-11 and onwards is not required.
Is this change applicable to all banks?
Yes, it applies to all domestic scheduled commercial banks that were previously required to submit this quarterly data.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2010-11/430
RPCD.CO.Plan.BC. 55 /04.09.01/2010-11
March 16, 2011
The Chairman/Managing Director/
Chief Executive Officer
(All Domestic Scheduled Commercial Banks)
Dear Sir/ Madam,
Data on Priority Sector Advances - Agricultural Lending
Please refer to our circular RPCD.Plan.BC.62/04.09.41/2003-04 dated January 15, 2004, advising you to furnish data on priority sector lending on a quarterly basis in the prescribed format.
2. It has been decided to discontinue the submission of the said statement effective from the period ended March 2011.
3. Please acknowledge receipt.
Yours faithfully,
(T. V. Rao)
Deputy General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2010-11/430 · issued 16 Mar 2011. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (All domestic scheduled commercial banks, Compliance and reporting departments, Priority sector lending teams), your first concrete step on “RBI Discontinues Quarterly Priority Sector Agri Lending Data Submission” is: “Stop preparing and submitting the quarterly priority sector agricultural lending statement from March 2011 onwards.” (RBI issued this 16 Mar 2011).
Action required: Stop preparing and submitting the quarterly priority sector agricultural lending statement from March 2011 onwards.
Action required: Update your internal reporting schedules and compliance checklists to remove this submission.
Action required: Ensure continued compliance with priority sector lending targets for agriculture through other reporting channels.
Action required: Retain historical records of previously submitted data for audit and reference purposes.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 03 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=6289&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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