Progress and performance of kisan credit card scheme with a case study of Bihar§

The performance of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme in India has been studied by finding its share in the total amount of loan disbursed to agriculture. The flow of credit through KCCs has been investigated from three types of financial institutions, viz. cooperative banks, regional rural banks and commercial banks in terms of total loan amount, enrolement of membership and amount per card. Region-wise study has revealed a wide disparity in the performance of these institutions. The case study of Bihar has depicted a similar picture with a vast disparity across different districts of the state in terms of amount, number of cards and amount per card. The gross returns and consequently net margins have been found higher for KCCbeneficiary than non-beneficiary farmers. The factors influencing the adoption of KCC scheme and constraints perceived by the farmers have been identified. Some measures have also been suggested to attract more farmers towards the scheme.