The Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) will start loaning for Khariff crops under "One Window Zarkhaiz Scheme" from April 7, 2008. The Bank has allocated Rs 22.5 billion for disbursement of Khariff credit to the farmers, bank officials said.
The production loans for Khariff crops will be provided to the farmers from Monday to Tuesday every week throughout the country, except Mingora of the North West Frontier Province, Turbat Zone in Balochistan, Fata and Fana for being unsettled/hilly areas.
The ZTBL will disburse these loans in collaboration with the respective provincial government's Board of Revenues, Agriculture Department and postal authorities. The finance scheme is meant for small farmers owning irrigated land up to 25 acres and Barani 50 acres with maximum loan limit of up to Rs 0.200 million.
Free loan application forms will be available with the bank, officials said. Further, to facilitate the farmers, request for tractor loans will also be entertained during the one window operation and the scheme will remain operative till July 31, 2008, sources said.-PR