ISLAMABAD: Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin has asked the president Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) to provide relief to the drought-hit farmers of Thal region by waiving-off part of the loans as per policy after the issue was brought to his notice by Malik Muhammad Ehsanullah Tiwana on Wednesday.

Tiwana held a meeting with the finance minister and informed him about the non-provision of relief to the farmers of draught-hit areas by the ZTBL.

A day earlier, the matter was raised in the National Assembly Standing Committee on Finance and Revenue.

Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Syed Fakhar Imam, president ZTBL and senior officers also attended the meeting when Tiwana informed the finance minister about the problems and issues of the small farmers of Thal area who are severely affected by consistent drought and are unable to pay the agriculture loans, and sought support of the government to address their issues and provide them adequate relief.

The finance minister told him that the present government is promoting agriculture and providing a number of incentives to the farmers for their support and better yields. He suggested insurance of crops for sustainable support of the farmers. He also assured him of government’s full support to the farmers and asked the president ZTBL to provide relief to the drought-hit farmers of Thal region by waiving-off part of the loans as per policy.

The matter was also taken up on the agenda of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Finance on Tuesday. The meeting was informed that farmers of Thal area are unable to repay their outstanding loans of Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL) because of drought.

The Finance Ministry’s representative told the meeting that the government was providing loan facility to farmers through Kamyab Pakistan Programme and initially two districts of Sindh – Umerkot and Tharparkar – have been included in it.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022