New Delhi [India], March 30 (ANI): Non-food bank credit grew by 14.3 per cent year-on-year (y-o-y) in the fortnight ended February 28, 2026, up from 11.1 per cent in the corresponding period last year, according to data released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday.

The RBI said the data is based on information collected from 41 select scheduled commercial banks, which account for about 95 per cent of the total non-food credit extended by all such banks.

'On a year-on-year (y-o-y) basis, non-food bank credit grew by 14.3 per cent as on the fortnight ended February 28, 2026, compared to 11.1 per cent during the corresponding fortnight of the previous year,' the central bank said in a press release.

Credit to the agriculture and allied activities sector also recorded steady growth during the period.

'Credit to agriculture and allied activities registered a y-o-y growth of 12.3 per cent vis-a-vis 11.4 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of the previous year,' the RBI said.

'Credit to industry recorded a y-o-y growth of 13.5 per cent, compared with 7.5 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of last year,' the release stated.

The central bank added that the expansion was driven mainly by sectors such as infrastructure, engineering, chemicals, petroleum-related products and textiles.

Services sector credit growth also strengthened during the period.

'Credit to services sector registered a growth rate of 16.3 per cent y-o-y (11.7 per cent in the corresponding fortnight of the previous year), supported by higher growth in segments such as banks' credit to non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) and commercial real estate,' the RBI said.

Meanwhile, lending under the personal loans category also maintained strong momentum.

'Credit to personal loans segment recorded a y-o-y growth of 15.2 per cent, as compared with 11.7 per cent a year ago,' the RBI said.

The central bank noted that the housing segment continued to see steady growth, while vehicle loans and loans against gold jewellery sustained sharp expansion. (ANI)