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If you’re an experienced fisherman or fish farmer and want reliable working capital for seed, feed, medicine, nets, fuel, or quick repairs, the Uttar Bihar Gramin Bank (UBGB) Fishery Credit Card (FCC) gives you a practical, revolving line tailored to the aquaculture cycle. It’s simple to operate, sized for day-to-day needs, and aligned with harvesting and marketing timelines so you’re not paying for credit longer than you must.
What this facility is for (Purpose)
The FCC is a working-capital line to keep your ponds productive through the season. Typical uses include:
- Seed/fingerlings, feed, probiotics, lime, and medicines
- Nets, aerators, pipes, and minor gear replacements
- Diesel/electricity for pumps and aeration
- Pond preparation, routine maintenance, harvesting, transport, and ice
It is not meant for long-term capex (e.g., civil construction) unless the bank specifically permits under a separate facility.
Who can apply (Eligibility)
You’re likely eligible if:
- You’re an experienced fisherman/fish farmer
- You own a pond in your name or hold a valid certified patta/lease
- You are a permanent resident within UBGB’s service area
- Your age is 18–60 years
- You have no loan defaults with any bank/NBFC
- You do not already hold a KCC/GCC/SCC from the same branch (these categories are excluded)
Bring proof of experience and pond ownership/lease to help the bank size your limit correctly.
How much you can get (Loan Amount)
- ₹25,000 per acre, capped at ₹25,000 as per the shared note. This effectively reads like a per-acre norm with a cap equal to one acre. If you operate multiple acres, ask the branch whether a higher cap or a separate assessment is available in your area.
Card validity & renewals
- Validity: Up to 5 years
- Renewal: Annually (or till pond lease expiry, whichever is earlier)
Annual reviews let the bank refresh your limit based on performance and current input costs.
Margin, rate, and charges
- Margin: Nil (0%)
- Interest rate: 11.50% p.a. (subject to change), applied half-yearly as per bank policy
- Always check the current rate and schedule of charges at issuance/renewal.
What you pledge (Security)
- Primary security: Hypothecation of assets created/purchased out of the bank finance (inputs/equipment)
- Collateral security: Not mandatory under the scheme note
Keep purchase bills and stock records—they support both drawdowns and smooth inspections.
How money is released (Disbursement)
- Need-based drawdowns, aligned to your crop calendar (pond preparation → stocking → grow-out → harvest)
- Withdraw only what you need when you need it; interest costs stay in control
How and when you repay (Repayment)
- Within 12 months or on harvest & sale, whichever is earlier
- Best practice: repay soon after marketing the catch, then redraw for the next cycle
Insurance (Mandatory)
- Aquaculture/asset insurance is mandatory. Clarify coverage (e.g., flood, disease, cyclone, mass mortality), claim process, waiting periods, and premium sharing if any. Insurance safeguards your cycle and the credit line.
KYC & basic documents
Carry originals for verification and photocopies for submission:
- KYC: Photo ID and address proof, PAN (or Form 60/61), two photographs
- Ownership/tenure: Pond khata/patta/lease papers, village map/plot details as applicable
- Operations proof: Prior stocking/harvest bills, feed/medicine invoices, electric connection/pump details (if available)
- No-default status: Any NOC/no-dues that the branch requests
Comprehensive documents help the bank sanction quickly and size limits sensibly.
Nominal features at a glance
- Product: Fishery Credit Card (working capital)
- Validity: Up to 5 years, annual renewal
- Limit sizing: ₹25,000 per acre, cap ₹25,000 (confirm locally if multi-acre)
- Margin: 0%
- Interest: 11.50% p.a., applied half-yearly (rate subject to change)
- Security: Hypothecation; collateral not mandatory
- Disbursement: Need-based in line with crop cycle
- Repayment: Within 12 months or on harvest/marketing
- Insurance: Mandatory
- KYC: Mandatory
How to apply (Step-by-step)
- Meet the branch credit officer and discuss your acreage, culture plan (species, stocking density), and calendar.
- Share documents (KYC, pond patta/lease, prior bills) and your working-capital estimate for one cycle.
- Get the limit assessed (acreage × per-acre norm; ask about higher caps if you have >1 acre).
- Complete forms & execute hypothecation documents; review insurance terms.
- Sanction & issue of the Fishery Credit Card with drawing power and renewal date.
- Draw in tranches—seed → feed → medicine—keeping bills and records.
- Repay on sale of harvest, then redraw for the next cycle.
Practical tips to keep costs low and ponds productive
- Plan the cash cycle: Align drawdowns with pond prep → stocking → grow-out → harvest so funds don’t sit idle.
- Keep tight records: Bills for seed, feed, and medicines support inspections, insurance, and future limit enhancements.
- Don’t overstock: Match stocking density to aeration capacity and feed budget—prevents mortality and cash crunch.
- Mind water quality: Lime, bio-security, regular testing (pH, DO, ammonia) reduce losses—and claims.
- Repay promptly: Clear dues right after marketing to minimize interest and maintain a strong renewal profile.
- Insure smartly: Verify what perils are covered and exclusion clauses; report incidents immediately as per policy.
FAQs (straight answers)
Is collateral required?
Not under the shared scheme terms; hypothecation of financed assets is the primary security.
Can I use the FCC if I already have a KCC/GCC/SCC?
Not if it is from the same branch (as per eligibility note). Discuss alternatives with the manager.
How often is interest charged?
Rate currently 11.50% p.a., applied half-yearly (subject to change). The branch will show you the computation method.
What if my pond is on a short lease?
Your validity/renewal will not exceed the lease term; bring lease proofs for each renewal.
Is there a margin?
No margin is required.
Bottom line: UBGB’s Fishery Credit Card gives fish farmers a clean, crop-cycle-friendly working-capital line—0% margin, need-based drawdowns, annual renewal up to 5 years, insurance protection, and repayment aligned to harvest. Take your papers to the nearest UBGB branch, confirm the latest interest rate and any multi-acre cap, and set up a credit line that keeps your ponds—and your cash flow—healthy all season.

Kritti Kumari is a banker and MBA graduate who writes about banking, finance, and customer-friendly services. She simplifies complex financial products into easy guides, helping readers understand Bihar Gramin Bank’s offerings and make smarter money decisions.