ZTBL to disburse Rs 65 billion as farm credit

The Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) must focus on expanded outreach to disburse the minimum target of Rs 65 billion as farm credit this year. This was stated by ZTBL President Mansur Khan while addressing the 4th two-day Zonal Chiefs' Conference on Sunday.
He said that recovery of Special Asset Management (SAM) loans of Rs 10 billion and deposit base of Rs 6 billion would be this year's targets. Unveiling the Bank's future business strategy, he called upon the field functionaries to identify new borrowers and initiate innovative products, which should be commercially viable for bank's financial stability.
"We must surpass disbursement of Rs 56 billion, and recovery of Rs 63 billion achieved last year, and every one must contribute through integrated efforts to achieve this year's targets and revive the glorious past of bank's pivotal role in the promotion of agriculture sector", he said.
The Zonal Chiefs Conference, which concluded here, reviewed the performance of the zones in respect of operations ie disbursement and recovery of past dues and deposit mobilisation. The participants of the conference identified potential areas of investment to regain lost market share.
The participants also discussed importance of various schemes and development of new schemes and income generating activities which could help in increasing agriculture sector's contribution towards GNP. Mansur laid stress on quality and prudent lending, increased customer base, recovery of past dues, elimination of corruption, and deposit mobilisation for bank's financial sustainability to survive in the competitive market environment where customers' satisfaction and focus reign supreme.
Increased focus on dairy and livestock, financing off-farm activities, and induction of MTOs would be the new initiatives for the current year, he said.
He said that this year the bank would also be entering into a strategic partnership with Western Union on fund remittance, while insurance of life and crop of the farmers would be another priority area. The bank's SEVP (Operations), Nadeem Chohan, and SEVP (Recovery) M Tasneem also gave detailed presentations on their respective divisions.
Appreciating the performance of some zones in the year 2007, appreciation certificates and shields were also awarded to Israr Gul, Zonal Chief, Gujranwala, Mubarak Ali, Zonal Chief, Sargodha, Muhammad Khalid Zia, Zonal Chief, Bahawalpur, Alam Khan, Zonal Chief, Abbottabad, Waheed A. Khan, Zonal Chief, Islamabad, and Waris M. Baloch, Zonal Chief, Dera Murad Jamali. The awards were also given to 11 branch managers and 5 MCOs for their outstanding achievements in different categories.