KCC Eligibility Relaxed for Fisheries & Aquaculture
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2022-23/51 · issued 18 May 2022 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI has relaxed Kisan Credit Card eligibility for inland fisheries/aquaculture: farmers now only need to own/lease relevant assets and possess state-specific authorizations, removing rigid licensing requirements that varied across states.
The rule, in the simplest words
Farmers who fish or grow fish in ponds, lakes, or rivers can now get a Kisan Credit Card (a special loan card for farmers) if they own or rent things like ponds, boats, or nets.
They no longer need a single, strict license from the central government; instead, they just need any permission or paper their own state gives for fish farming.
Banks must accept different state papers as proof, so farmers won't be turned away just because their state's rules are different from another state's.
How it plays out — a real example
An agri & priority-sector lending officer in Indore reviews a KCC application from a fish farmer who has a pond lease and a state-issued aquaculture certificate from Madhya Pradesh. Instead of rejecting it for lacking a national license, the officer updates the checklist to accept the state document, approves the loan, and the farmer gets funds to buy new nets and feed.
What changed
Previously, KCC eligibility for inland fisheries required licensing/authorization criteria that varied across states. Now, the modified criteria allow beneficiaries to qualify if they own or lease fisheries-related assets (ponds, tanks, boats, nets, etc.) and hold any authorization/certification applicable in their respective state for fish farming or allied activities.
What it means for you
Banks can now process KCC applications for inland fisheries with greater flexibility, relying on state-specific documentation rather than a one-size-fits-all license. This reduces rejection rates due to missing or mismatched paperwork and expands credit access to genuine fish farmers. Lenders must update their internal KCC checklists to accept varied state authorizations.
What you must do
Update KCC loan application forms and internal guidelines to accept state-specific authorizations for inland fisheries.
Train branch staff on the revised eligibility criteria, emphasizing asset ownership/lease and state-level certification.
Coordinate with local fisheries departments to verify acceptable authorizations in your operational states.
Who it affects
Scheduled Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks), Farmers engaged in inland fisheries and aquaculture, KCC loan processing teams, State fisheries departments
❓ Common questions
Does this circular apply to marine fisheries as well?
No, the modification specifically addresses inland fisheries and aquaculture. Marine fisheries remain under the earlier KCC guidelines.
What if a farmer has no state-specific authorization but owns assets?
The circular requires possession of necessary authorization/certification as applicable in the respective state. If the state does not mandate any, banks may rely on asset ownership/lease alone, but must verify local rules.
Are Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) covered by this circular?
No, the circular explicitly excludes Regional Rural Banks. Only Scheduled Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks) are directed to implement these changes.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2022-23/51
FIDD.CO.FSD.BC.No.6/05.05.010/2022-23
May 18, 2022
The Chairman/Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer
All Scheduled Commercial Banks
(including Small Finance Banks and
excluding Regional Rural Banks)
Madam/ Dear Sir,
Kisan Credit Card Scheme - Eligibility criteria for farmers engaged in fisheries/ aquaculture
Please refer to Para 3.1.1.2 of our circular FIDD.CO.FSD.BC.12/05.05.010/2018-19 dated February 04, 2019 on Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Working Capital for Animal Husbandry and Fisheries. It has been brought to our notice that licensing/authorisation related requirements pertaining to fishing/aquaculture in inland water bodies vary across states. Accordingly, the eligibility criteria for inland fisheries and aquaculture under Para 3.1.1.2 of the circular stand modified as follows:
The beneficiaries must own or lease any fisheries related assets such as ponds, tanks, open water bodies, raceways, hatcheries, rearing units, boats, nets and such other fishing gear as the case may be and possess necessary authorisation/certification as may be applicable in respective states for fish farming and fishing related activities and for any other state specific fisheries and allied activities.
2. All other terms and conditions of the scheme remain unchanged.
Yours faithfully,
(Nisha Nambiar)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2022-23/51 · issued 18 May 2022. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Train branch staff on the revised eligibility criteria, emphasizing asset ownership/lease and state-level certification.
💻 IT / Systems
Update KCC loan application forms and internal guidelines to accept state-specific authorizations for inland fisheries.
📜 Compliance
Coordinate with local fisheries departments to verify acceptable authorizations in your operational states.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (Scheduled Commercial Banks (including Small Finance Banks), Farmers engaged in inland fisheries and aquaculture, KCC loan processing teams, State fisheries departments), your first concrete step on “KCC Eligibility Relaxed for Fisheries & Aquaculture” is: “Update KCC loan application forms and internal guidelines to accept state-specific authorizations for inland fisheries.” (RBI issued this 18 May 2022).
Circular: RBI/2022-23/51 -- KCC Eligibility Relaxed for Fisheries & Aquaculture
Issued: 18 May 2022
Action required: Update KCC loan application forms and internal guidelines to accept state-specific authorizations for inland fisheries.
Action required: Train branch staff on the revised eligibility criteria, emphasizing asset ownership/lease and state-level certification.
Action required: Coordinate with local fisheries departments to verify acceptable authorizations in your operational states.
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=12318&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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