Benazir Credit Programme for women launched

[Naveed Yaseen]

ISLAMABAD: In pursuance of the directives of President Asif Ali Zardari for women’s empowerment and to alleviate rural poverty, Zarai Taraqiati Bank Ltd has initiated the ‘Benazir Credit Programme’ for lending to women.

President ZTBL, Zaka Ashraf, announced the new initiative by establishing a separate credit to women’s unit for this purpose, said a statement of the bank issued here on Wednesday.

The Benazir Credit Programme aims at increasing the 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 per cent of the 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 those who aspire to engage in financial viable activity, says the bank’s press release.

Ashraf has directed to identify villages as ‘Model Villages’ in all the four provinces including AJK and a special study has been initiated by the newly established unit to explore the potential for lending under the Benazir Credit Programme.

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