Question : Disbursement of Agriculture Loan by Private Sector Banks

(a) whether the private sector banks who recently received license are disbursing agricultural loan and if so, the details thereof and if not, the reason therefor;
(b) whether there is any compulsion for private banks to lend a percentage of loans disbursed by them as agricultural loans to farmers and if so, the details thereof;
(c) the amount of agriculture loan disbursed by private sector banks during the last three years and the current year, bank-wise; and
(d) if not, the action taken by the Government against them?

The Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance


(a) to (d): As per extant directions of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Priority Sector Lending (PSL), a target of 18 per cent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC) or Credit Equivalent of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure (CEOBE) has been prescribed to all domestic Scheduled Commercial Banks,including Small Finance Banks, for lending to Agriculture.
Bank-wise details of agricultural loans disbursed (no of accounts and amount outstanding) by private sector banks (for the last three years and current financial year upto Dec 2017) and Small Finance Banks (for the current financial year upto Dec 2017) as reported by RBI are given in AnnexureI and II.
As per the Master Direction dated 07.07.2016on PSL-Targets and Classification issued by RBI, Scheduled Commercial Banks having any shortfall in lending to priority sector shall be allocated amounts for contribution to the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) established with NABARD and other Funds with NABARD/NHB/SIDBI/ MUDRA Ltd., as decided by the Reserve Bank from time to time. The interest rates on banks’ contribution to RIDF or any other Funds, tenure of deposits, etc. shall be fixed by RBI from time to time.

Further, RBI directions provide that the above mechanism shall be applicable to Small Finance Banks commencing from the year 2019-20 i.ebanks having shortfall in their PSL targets/subtargets as on March 31, 2019, will require to contribute to RIDF and other funds in the following year, as directed by RBI.