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Priority Sector refers to those sectors of the economy which may not get timely and adequate credit in
the absence of this special dispensation.
Priority Sector was first properly defined in 1972, after the National Credit Council emphasized a few years back that there should be a large involvement of the commercial banks in the priority sector. Initially in 1974, the banks were given a target of 33.33% as share of the priority sector in the total bank credit.
This was later revised on the recommendation of the Dr. K S Krishnaswamy Committee and the target was raised to 40%. The latest working group on this segment was C S Murthy Committee in 2007, on whose recommendations, RBI
revised the guidelines
Categories under priority sector
- Agriculture
- Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
- Export Credit
- Education
- Housing
- Social Infrastructure
- Renewable Energy
- Others
Targets /Sub-targets for Priority sector
(i) The targets and sub-targets set under priority sector lending for all scheduled commercial banks operating in India are furnished below:
| Categories | Domestic scheduled commercial banks and Foreign banks with 20 branches and above | Foreign banks with less than 20 branches |
| Total Priority Sector |
40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit [ANBC defined in sub paragraph (iii)] or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher. Foreign banks with 20 branches and above have to achieve the Total Priority Sector Target within a maximum period of five years starting from April 1, 2013 and ending on March 31, 2018 as per the action plans submitted by them and approved by RBI. |
40 percent of Adjusted Net Bank Credit [ANBC defined in sub paragraph (iii)] or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher; to be achieved in a phased manner by 2020 as indicated in sub paragraph (ii) below.
|
| Agriculture |
18 percent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher. Within the 18 percent target for agriculture, a target of 8 percent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher is prescribed for Small and Marginal Farmers, to be achieved in a phased manner i.e., 7 per cent by March 2016 and 8 per cent by March 2017. Foreign banks with 20 branches and above have to achieve the Agriculture Target within a maximum period of five years starting from April 1, 2013 and ending on March 31, 2018 as per the action plans submitted by them and approved by RBI. The sub-target for Small and Marginal farmers would be made applicable post 2018 after a review in 2017. |
Not applicable
|
| Micro Enterprises |
7.5 percent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher to be achieved in a phased manner i.e. 7 per cent by March 2016 and 7.5 per cent by March 2017. The sub-target for Micro Enterprises for foreign banks with 20 branches and above would be made applicable post 2018 after a review in 2017. |
Not Applicable
|
| Advances to Weaker Sections |
10 percent of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher. Foreign banks with 20 branches and above have to achieve the Weaker Sections Target within a maximum period of five years starting from April 1, 2013 and ending on March 31, 2018 as per the action plans submitted by them and approved by RBI. |
Not Applicable
|
(ii) The Total Priority Sector target of 40 percent for foreign banks with less than 20 branches has to be achieved in a phased manner as under:-
| Financial Year | The Total Priority Sector as percentage of ANBC or Credit Equivalent Amount of Off-Balance Sheet Exposure, whichever is higher |
| 2015-16 | 32 |
| 2016-17 | 34 |
| 2017-18 | 36 |
| 2018-19 | 38 |
| 2019-20 | 40 |
The additional priority sector lending target of 2 percent of ANBC each year from 2016-17 to 2019-20 has to be achieved by lending to sectors other than exports. The sub targets for these banks, if to be made applicable post 2020, would be decided in due course.
Computation of Adjusted Net Bank Credit (ANBC)
| Bank Credit in India | I |
| Bills Rediscounted with RBI and other approved Financial Institutions | II |
| Net Bank Credit (NBC)* | III (I-II) |
| Bonds/debentures in Non-SLR categories under HTM category+ other investments eligible to be treated as priority sector +Outstanding Deposits under RIDF and other eligible funds with NABARD, NHB and SIDBI on account of priority sector shortfall + outstanding PSLCs | IV |
| Eligible amount for exemptions on issuance of long-term bonds for infrastructure and affordable housing | V |
| Eligible advances extended in India against the incremental FCNR (B)/NRE deposits, qualifying for exemption from CRR/SLR requirements. | VI |
| ANBC | III+IV-V-VI |
