ACABC — Agri Clinics and Agri Business Centres
NABARD · Central government
Agri-clinic and agri-business centre subsidy: 44%–50% loan support for agriculture graduates.
Open, rolling. Applications are accepted continuously — there is no deadline.
Key facts
- Subsidy amount
- Up to ₹1,00,00,000
- Instrument
- Subsidy
- Deadline
- Rolling
About this scheme
Agri-clinics and agri-business centres are encouraged among agriculture graduates and diploma holders. A subsidy of 44% is available for the General category, while women, SC/ST, and North-Eastern applicants receive 50%. Loans up to ₹20 lakh for individuals and ₹1 crore for groups of five or more are eligible.
Training support comes from NABARD and NABCONS. The scheme covers plant protection, crop advisory, input supply, testing, cold chain, and rural warehousing.
Who can apply
- Eligible business forms
- Not specified
- Udyam registration
- Not specified
- MSME registration
- Not specified
- DPIIT startup recognition
- Not specified
- GST registration
- Not specified
- Where the business may be based
- Not restricted
- Agriculture graduates, diploma holders, and allied science graduates. - Must have completed the ACABC training programme. - Training must be undertaken at NABARD-approved training institutions.
How to apply
- Enrol in and finish the mandatory ACABC training programme offered by a NABARD-approved institution; the list of approved institutions is available at acabc.net or through NABARD's regional office. - Draft a business plan outlining your proposed agri-clinic or agri-business centre. - Submit a loan application at any scheduled commercial bank, regional rural bank (RRB), or cooperative bank under the ACABC scheme, and present your training completion certificate alongside it. - The bank evaluates the project and approves the loan; once sanctioned, forward the loan sanction letter to NABARD's regional office to register the scheme. - Following disbursement and once the unit begins operations, NABARD releases the back-ended subsidy directly into your loan account. - Keep records of turnover and activities in order to facilitate NABARD's monitoring visits.
Frequently asked questions
Who is eligible for ACABC support?
Agriculture graduates, post-graduates, and diploma holders in agriculture or allied sciences—such as horticulture, animal husbandry, forestry, dairy, veterinary, and fisheries—who have finished the mandatory ACABC training at a NABARD-approved institution qualify.
What is the subsidy percentage?
The back-ended capital subsidy covers 44% of the project cost for general category applicants and 50% for women, SC/ST and North-East candidates, on loans up to ₹20 lakh for individual ventures and up to ₹1 crore for a group venture of 5 or more trained graduates.
What businesses can be set up under ACABC?
Eligible ventures under the scheme include agri-clinics offering soil testing, plant protection, and crop advisory; agri-business centres such as input supply stores and custom hiring of farm equipment; cold chain units; rural warehousing; seed processing; and other agri-support services.
Is the subsidy a grant or repayable?
The subsidy is a non-repayable back-ended grant, disbursed only after partial loan repayment and project establishment. The bank loan must be repaid according to the standard schedule.
Is training mandatory?
Yes. You must complete the ACABC training programme at a NABARD-approved institution before applying for a bank loan under this scheme. NABARD and NABCONS support the training.
How do I find approved training institutions?
The list of NABARD-approved ACABC training institutions is available at acabc.net. For the current training schedule and batch registration, contact NABARD's regional office or NABCONS.
Sectors
- Agri Food Rural
Details last verified on 3 August 2026. Source: the issuer's published information.