Under the Kisan Credit Card scheme, short-term credit support is given to farmers for which of the following purposes ? 1. Working capital for maintenance of farm assets 2. Purchase of combine harvesters, tractors and mini trucks 3. Consumption requirements of farm households 4. Post-harvest expenses 5. Construction of family house and setting up of village cold storage facility Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Option (b) is correct because the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) scheme provides short-term credit for immediate operational needs, including working capital for asset maintenance, post-harvest expenses, and household consumption requirements. Option (d) is the most tempting wrong choice, but it is incorrect because the purchase of heavy machinery (tractors) and the construction of infrastructure (houses or cold storage) are classified as long-term investment credit rather than short-term support. The core concept tested is the functional classification of credit under KCC guidelines, specifically distinguishing between seasonal operational expenses and long-term capital expenditure.