Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/398 · issued 04 Dec 2013 · ~2 min read
Quick answerBanks offering short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh at 7% p.a. to farmers can claim 2% interest subvention from the Government of India via RBI. Prompt-paying farmers get an additional 3% subvention, reducing their rate to 4% p.a. Claims must be submitted half-yearly with auditor certification.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must give short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh (300,000 rupees) at 7% per year interest to farmers to get a 2% subsidy from the government.
Farmers who pay back on time (within one year) get an extra 3% subsidy, so they only pay 4% interest per year.
Only loans for growing crops and post-harvest costs (like storing produce) count for the subsidy; other loan types do not.
Banks must send claims for the 2% subsidy twice a year (by September 30, 2013 and March 31, 2014) with a signed auditor certificate.
The extra 3% subsidy for on-time payers must be claimed in one final report by April 30, 2015, also checked by an auditor.
How it plays out — a real example
An agri & priority-sector lending officer in Indore, Priya, processes a short-term crop loan of Rs.2.5 lakh for farmer Ramesh at 7% per year. She notes that if Ramesh repays within one year, he will get an extra 3% subsidy, making his effective rate just 4%. Priya also separates Ramesh's KCC loan for cultivation and post-harvest expenses from other loan categories, so she can correctly claim the 2% subsidy from the government in her half-yearly report.
What changed
The Government of India directed RBI to implement the Interest Subvention Scheme for 2013-14, providing 2% p.a. subvention to PSBs and Private Sector Scheduled Commercial Banks (in respect of loans given by their rural and semi-urban branches) on their own funds used for short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh per farmer, provided banks lend at 7% p.a. to farmers. Additionally, prompt-paying farmers receive an extra 3% subvention, making their effective rate 4% p.a., but this benefit is lost if repayment exceeds one year. The scheme also extends post-harvest benefits for small and marginal farmers with Kisan Credit Cards for up to six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan against negotiable warehouse receipt.
What it means for you
Banks must ensure short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh are disbursed at 7% p.a. to farmers to qualify for the 2% subvention, which covers interest differential. The additional 3% subvention for prompt payers incentivizes timely repayment, reducing credit risk for lenders. Banks need to segregate KCC loans for cultivation and post-harvest expenses only, as other categories are excluded from subvention claims. Claims require strict half-yearly submission with statutory auditor certification, impacting operational processes.
What you must do
Disburse short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh at 7% p.a. to farmers to claim 2% interest subvention.
Identify and offer prompt-paying farmers the additional 3% subvention, ensuring loans are repaid within one year.
Segregate KCC loans for cultivation and post-harvest expenses only when computing subvention claims.
Submit half-yearly claims for 2% subvention as at September 30, 2013 and March 31, 2014, with statutory auditor certificate for the year-end claim.
Submit one-time consolidated claim for 3% additional subvention latest by April 30, 2015, duly audited.
Who it affects
All Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Scheduled Commercial Banks (in respect of loans given by their rural and semi-urban branches), Farmers availing short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh, Small and marginal farmers with Kisan Credit Cards
❓ Common questions
What is the maximum loan amount eligible for interest subvention under this scheme?
Short-term crop loans up to Rs.3,00,000 per farmer are eligible for the 2% interest subvention, provided banks lend at 7% p.a.
How does the additional 3% subvention for prompt-paying farmers work?
Farmers who repay their crop loan within one year from disbursement or by the due date (whichever is earlier) get an additional 3% subvention, reducing their effective interest rate to 4% p.a. This benefit is lost if repayment exceeds one year.
Which KCC loan categories are covered under the Interest Subvention Scheme?
Only loans for short-term credit for crop cultivation and post-harvest expenses are covered. Other categories like consumption, marketing, or investment credit are excluded.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2013-14/398
RPCD.No.FSD.BC.71/05.04.02/2013-14
December 4, 2013
To,
The Chairman / Managing Director
All Public & Private Sector Scheduled Commercial Banks
Dear Sir
Union Budget - 2013-14
Interest Subvention Scheme
As directed by the Government of India and in pursuance of the budget announcement made by the Finance Minister relating to the Interest Subvention Scheme 2013-14, Interest subvention of 2 % p.a. will be made available to Public Sector Banks (PSBs) and Private Sector Scheduled Commercial Banks (in respect of loans given by their rural and semi-urban branches) on their own funds used for short-term crop loans up to Rs.3,00,000/- per farmer provided the lending institutions make available short term credit at the ground level at 7% per annum to farmers. This amount of interest subvention will be calculated on the crop loan amount from the date of its disbursement/drawal up to the date of actual repayment of the crop loan by the farmer or up to the due date of the loan fixed by the banks whichever is earlier, subject to a maximum period of one year.
2. Besides, additional interest subvention @3% will be available to the prompt paying farmers from the date of disbursement of the crop loan up to the actual date of repayment by farmers or up to the due date fixed by bank for repayment of crop loan, whichever is earlier, subject to a maximum period of one year from the date of disbursement. This also implies that the prompt paying farmers would get short term crop loans @4% per annum during the year 2013-14. This benefit would not accrue to those farmers who repay after one year of availing such loans.
3. Further, in respect of KCC Scheme, the GoI has clarified that loans granted only for categories at S.No. (i) and (ii) out of the following six categories are covered under the Interest Subvention Scheme, which should be computed and segregated accordingly for claiming interest subvention :
To meet the short term credit requirements for cultivation of crops
Post-harvest expenses
Produce Marketing loan
Consumption requirement of farmer household
Working capital for maintenance of farm assets and activities allied to agriculture, like dairy animals, inland fishery, etc.
Investment credit requirement for agriculture and allied activities like pump sets, sprayers, dairy animals, etc.
4. The benefits of interest subvention will also be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of up to six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan against negotiable warehouse receipt for keeping their produce in warehouses.
5. Banks may give adequate publicity to the above scheme so that the farmers can avail the benefits.
6. It is also advised as under:-
i) Claims in respect of 2 % interest subvention and 3 % additional interest subvention may be submitted in Formats I and II (enclosed herewith) respectively to the Chief General Manager, Rural Planning and Credit Department, Reserve Bank of India, Central Office, Shahid Bhagat Singh Road, Fort, Mumbai - 400001.
ii) In respect of 2 % interest subvention, banks are required to submit their claims on a half-yearly basis as at September 30, 2013 and March 31, 2014, of which, the latter needs to be accompanied by a Statutory Auditor's certificate certifying the claims for subvention for the entire year ended March 31, 2014 as true and correct. Any remaining claim pertaining to the disbursements made during the year 2013-14 and not included in the claim for March 31, 2014, may be consolidated separately and marked as an 'Additional Claim' and submitted duly audited by Statutory Auditors certifying the correctness.
iii) In respect of the 3% additional subvention, banks may submit their one-time consolidated claims pertaining to the disbursements made during the entire year 2013-14 latest by April 30, 2015, duly audited by Statutory Auditors certifying the correctness.
Yours faithfully,
(Madhavi Sharma)
Chief General Manager
Format I
Claim for 2 Per cent Interest Subvention on
Short-term Crop Loan up to Rs.3 lakh for the year 2013-14
Name of the Bank ___________________________________________
Statement for the half year ended
September 2013 / March 2014/ Additional Claim.
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2013-14/398 · issued 04 Dec 2013. 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 Public Sector Banks, Private Sector Scheduled Commercial Banks (in respect of loans given by their rural and semi-urban branches), Farmers availing short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh, Small and marginal farmers with Kisan Credit Cards), your first concrete step on “Interest Subvention Scheme 2013-14 for Crop Loans” is: “Disburse short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh at 7% p.a. to farmers to claim 2% interest subvention.” (RBI issued this 04 Dec 2013).
Circular: RBI/2013-14/398 -- Interest Subvention Scheme 2013-14 for Crop Loans
Issued: 04 Dec 2013
Action required: Disburse short-term crop loans up to Rs.3 lakh at 7% p.a. to farmers to claim 2% interest subvention.
Action required: Identify and offer prompt-paying farmers the additional 3% subvention, ensuring loans are repaid within one year.
Action required: Segregate KCC loans for cultivation and post-harvest expenses only when computing subvention claims.
Action required: Submit half-yearly claims for 2% subvention as at September 30, 2013 and March 31, 2014, with statutory auditor certificate for the year-end claim.
Action required: Submit one-time consolidated claim for 3% additional subvention latest by April 30, 2015, duly audited.
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
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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=8617&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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