The eKCC Portal Could Accelerate Agricultural Credit
The National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) has introduced the new eKCC Portal, a collaborative effort with Chennai’s 24×7 Moneyworks Consulting, to expedite agricultural credit disbursement for holders of Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) through digital processing. Currently undergoing testing in six states, this initiative simplifies the loan approval process, cuts down on turnaround times, and improves rural farmers’ access via Regional Cooperative Banks (RCBs) and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs).
There are presently 77.1 million active KCC holders with land ownership. The eKCC portal allows farmers to submit loan applications without the need for in-person visits to bank branches, addressing the previously cumbersome requirement of multiple trips to secure agricultural loans. Ajay Sood, NABARD’s Deputy Managing Director, expressed that leveraging digital systems can lead to faster loan sanctioning for KCC holders. The pilot phase of the eKCC platform is currently being conducted across six states, with plans for broader implementation soon.
This innovative portal relies on the Reserve Bank Innovation Hub’s unified lending interface for digital land records, as well as the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing for Aadhar authentication, eKYC, e-signature, and Aadhar data vault functions necessary for facilitating loans for farmers. Banking officials have remarked that traditional loan application methods for KCC holders are often marred by inefficiencies, such as the need for numerous bank visits, prolonged processing periods of 3 to 4 weeks, and a heavy reliance on paperwork.
According to official sources, the trial implementation in six states demonstrated a notable decrease in both processing times and operational expenditures. The onboarding process for all RCBs and RRBs is currently in progress, with live KCC issuance already taking place on the digital platform.
While commercial banks have made substantial progress in digitalizing their operations, rural banking institutions frequently struggle due to high implementation costs and limited technological resources. Shaji K.V., Chairman of NABARD, mentioned that the eKCC initiative holds great promise for enhancing accessibility, transparency, and efficiency in agricultural credit distribution. He emphasized its role in helping cooperative banks, PACS, and RRBs provide quicker, clearer, and more inclusive credit services to small and marginal farmers.
NABARD recently announced its acquisition of a 10% stake in 24×7 Moneyworks Consulting for an undisclosed amount, with the goal of evolving the eKCC portal into a comprehensive agricultural credit platform. This development may include loan offerings for dairy and fisheries, integration with the national fisheries digital platform, and automation of interest subventions through the Kisan Rin portal of the Agriculture Ministry.
During the fiscal year 2025, commercial banks, cooperatives, and regional rural banks disbursed loans exceeding Rs 28.98 lakh crore, with approximately 60% allocated to short-term crop loans and the remainder directed towards investment loans in agricultural and allied sectors.
The Kisan Credit Card serves as a banking solution that provides farmers with timely and cost-effective credit for acquiring agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides, as well as for cash requirements linked to crop production and related activities. Currently, there are 77.1 million KCC holders who have land holdings. This demographic includes 1.24 lakh KCCs issued for fisheries and 4.44 million for animal husbandry.
According to the modified interest subvention scheme under the Agriculture Ministry, KCC holders can obtain loans of up to Rs 3 lakh at 7% annual interest to meet their working capital needs. However, for the fiscal year 2026, the government has raised the agricultural credit limit to Rs 5 lakh per annum. The scheme also offers an extra interest subvention of 3% for prompt repayment, effectively lowering the interest rate to 4%.
