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Priority Sector Lending

Every RBI rule that touches Priority Sector Lending, simplified for bankers. 8 current circulars.

8
current circulars shown below
1
withdrawn / superseded — moved to archive

Status from our nightly regulatory-lineage check. Only circulars with no recorded withdrawal appear below — always confirm current applicability against the official RBI source linked on each circular.

OverviewPriority Sector Lending directs a defined share of credit toward agriculture, micro and small enterprises, weaker sections, housing, education, renewable energy and other developmental categories. The framework sets sub-targets, defines eligible exposures, and operates a tradable mechanism — Priority Sector Lending Certificates — that lets banks meet shortfalls efficiently while keeping credit flowing to underserved segments.
Key dataSee the numbers behind Priority Sector Lending: Credit & Deposit Growth — bank credit & deposit growth trends, updated from official RBI data. Related live data: NPA / Asset-Quality Tracker.
Key termsPlain-English definitions of the terms on this page — see the full Indian banking glossary. Priority Sector Lending (PSL) · Scheduled Commercial Bank (SCB) · Credit-deposit ratio (CD ratio) · Kisan Credit Card (KCC) · MUDRA loan (PMMY)
Part of clusterThis topic is part of the Compliance & Prudential Norms cluster — explore related rules, FAQs and live data across the theme.

Latest circulars in this cluster

RBI's 2026 Kisan Credit Card Directions: Key Changes for Banks

RBI issued consolidated KCC Directions effective Jan 1, 2027, covering all commercial banks (excluding SFBs, PBs, LABs).

· 1 month ago · 0

RBI's 2026 KCC Directions for Regional Rural Banks

RBI issued consolidated KCC Directions for RRBs effective January 1, 2027, standardizing crop seasons (12 months for sho

· 1 month ago · 0

RBI's 2026 KCC Directions for Rural Co-operative Banks

RBI issued new KCC Directions for Rural Co-operative Banks, applicable to loans sanctioned from January 1, 2027. The sch

· 1 month ago · 0

RBI's Kisan Credit Card Directions for Commercial Banks (Effective Jan 1, 2027)

RBI issued the Reserve Bank of India [Commercial Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme] Directions, 2026, applicable to

· 1 month ago · 0

RBI Issues KCC Scheme Directions for Small Finance Banks, Effective January 2027

RBI has issued formal directions for Small Finance Banks under the Kisan Credit Card Scheme, effective January 01, 2027.

· 1 month ago · 0

RBI's 2026 KCC Directions for Rural Co-operative Banks

RBI issued the Rural Co-operative Banks - Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme Directions, 2026, effective January 01, 2027, c

· 1 month ago · 0

RBI Directions for Small Finance Banks - Kisan Credit Card Scheme

RBI issues directions for Small Finance Banks to provide Kisan Credit Card Scheme with a composite facility for 6 years,

· 3 weeks ago · 0

RBI fines Nirmal Urban Co-op Bank for exposure and deposit rule breaches

RBI imposed a ₹1 lakh penalty on Nirmal Urban Co-operative Bank for violating single borrower exposure limits under SAF

· 4 weeks ago · 63075

Frequently asked questions

What counts as priority-sector lending?

Eligible categories include agriculture, micro/small/medium enterprises, export credit, education, housing within defined limits, social infrastructure, renewable energy and lending to weaker sections, each with its own conditions.

What are PSL Certificates?

Priority Sector Lending Certificates let a bank that has lent beyond its target sell the excess, and a bank short of its target buy it, without transferring the underlying loan. It is a market mechanism to meet sub-targets efficiently.

Do PSL targets differ by bank type?

Yes — targets and sub-targets vary across commercial banks, small finance banks, regional rural banks and co-operative banks. The applicable circular for your category is linked in the cluster below.

Related topics & data

Financial Inclusion / Priority Sector

family for this topic.

Home Loans

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Co-operative Banks

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Deposits / Interest Rates

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Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗