In pursuance of the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari for women empowerment and alleviate rural poverty, the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd has initiated "Benazir Credit Programme" for lending to women. The President ZTBL Zaka Ashraf has announced the new initiative by establishing a separate credit to women unit for this purpose, said a statement of the Bank issued here on Wednesday.
The Benazir Credit Programme aims at increasing access of credit to women to undertake income generating activities and self employment opportunities in rural and urban areas. The female mobile credit officers will be posted in selected branches/zones having vast potential for agro based industries to be extended in a phased manner.
As women constitute more than 52 percent of total population the majority of it is engaged in agriculture related activities. The programme is likely to benefit a large segment of women engaged in agriculture sector or aspire to engage in financial viable activity, says the bank's press release.
The President ZTBL has directed to identify villages as "Model Villages" in all the four provinces including AJK and special study has been initiated by the newly established unit to explore the potential for lending under Benazir Credit Programme.
Since the People's government has been focusing on Agro based Micro finance for eliminating rural poverty and improve their standard of living specially women, the Benazir Credit Programme as announced by President ZTBL Zaka Ashraf has great prospects for its success as it would enhance the share of female population in overall economic activity of the country.
In this respect the study groups revelations stated that out of three villages ie Qutbal, Ghazi Khole and Hattar specially Ghazi Kholi in the vicinity of Capital territory with a population of 3,160 has been found to be potential area of investment with greater prospects for the launching of this new initiative which comprises productive activities of women like Industrial home, embroidery work, tailoring/stitching, pottery work, computer literacy centres, knitting work and preparation of decoration pieces, loan for dairy, poultry, goat farming etc.
Under the said programme designed for micro financial economic activities of the women, it is apprehended that it would support the women empowerment as envisioned by the President of Pakistan and would make them viable economic force to contribute significantly towards country's GNP directly needed for self sustainable economy.