PM calls for expanding low-cost loans for farmers, SMEs

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Tuesday directed the authorities to simplify and expand access to low-cost agricultural loans for small- and medium-scale farmers and take measures for boosting of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country. Presiding over a review meeting, the PM called it a critical step for boosting agricultural productivity and ensuring economic dignity for the country’s rural backbone. The PM emphasised that small farmers must be treated with respect and given due facilitation, particularly when it comes to acquiring low-interest loans for their agricultural needs, a Prime Minister’s Office news release said. During the meeting, PM Shehbaz instructed authorities concerned to the accelerate reforms within the Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), and encourage private banks to step forward in offering concessional loans to the agricultural sector on easier terms.