Rs80b for farmers

Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd. will disburse Rs 80 billion among farmers during 2009-10.

This was stated by ZTBL zonal chief Chauhdry Muhammad Asghar while interacting with media men here at the Lahore Press Club on Sunday.

He said ZTBL had disbursed an amount of Rs 47.38 billion among farmers till June 2009, which is 10 per cent more than previous financial yearís. He added that the bank earned four billion rupees as profit during the same period.

He said ZTBM management had decided to recruit 500 mobile credit officers to enhance the reach of the bank. “Priority will be given to female candidates in this recruitment,” he added.

He said, under Rs 10 billion white revolution programme, the bank would lend Rs 10 billion to farmers with the collaboration of Pakistan Dairy Development Company and Nestle Pakistan. “These loans will be used for buying milch animal at subsidized mark up rate of only eight per cent,” he maintained. Asghar informed that a new scheme had also been launched for nursery owners in order to promote floriculture in the country. He added that one million rupees would be given to each nursery owners under the scheme. He said micro credit scheme would also be re-launched with an aim to finance small borrowers. Lauding the efforts of present ZTBL management, led by Ch. Zaka Ashraf, he said long-awaited promotion of 1400 senior officials of the bank is a morale booster. “The promotion of these officials was overdue since 1993,” he said, adding bank management resolved this issue amicably. Besides this, he said, the management was contemplating to give grade 3 to 300 senior clerical staff.

Source: The News