Staff Reporter
Islamabad: In line with Prime Minister’s directives, the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) has embarked upon holding khuli kacheri across the country aimed at resolving the problems faced to farmers’ community.
During direct interaction with farmers at Multan, Bahawalnagar and Vehari where growers from Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Bahawalpur also thronged in, the farmers spoke their hearts out.Farmers complained about expensive and substandard fertilizers also seeking reduction in loan application fee besides suggesting that insurance claims against crop damages should be increased.
President ZTBL Muhammad Shahbaz Jameel assured the farmers that the bank was in touch with fertilizer companies so that farmers get affordable standard fertilizer at their doorsteps.
The growers during khuli kacheri called for increase in support price of crop requesting ZTBL president to launch loan against gold as majority of small farmers possess jewelry. Some growers wanted the bank to waive off mark up for borrowers who have died. The president assured all possible concessional measures for such cases. Increase in enhancement of loan was also requested by the farmers on which the president said the enhancement of loan can be made after the approval of respective zonal chief and branch manager. Overall, the farmers expressed satisfaction with Prime Minister’s Covid-19 Relief Package for farmers saying the initiative was in true spirits a great relief to farmers in the testing times.
It is to be mentioned here that this was for the first time that President ZTBL has directly listened to the challenged faced by farmers since the inception of the bank. The bank has constituted separate teams of executives for holding open courts in far flung areas of the country in order to receive direct feedback from growers.