November 16, 2003	Sunday	Ramazan 20, 1424

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MARDAN, Nov 15: The Zarai Taraqyati Bank Limited (ZTBL) of Mardan has begun the one-window operation plan to disburse loan for Rabbi season at 11 points in different villages at both tehsils of the district.

The bank facilitates loans of up to Rs50,000 to small growers every year for Rabbi and Kharif crops in the country through the one-window operation plan. But most of the growers of the district are unable to benefit from this programme.

An official of the bank told this reporter that the bank staff had made their utmost efforts to encourage the growers for getting loan from the Zarai bank, but they preferred to take loan from other banks.

Hardly seven to 10 growers per day came for the loan, though it was very easy to get money under this programme, he said and added that they shied away from applying for loan at their village points.

The official told that last year at Rustam village, a grower had applied for the loan, but when the bank officials asked him to apply through the one-window operation for availing of the opportunity immediately.

But the grower refused to do so and argued that there would be a large number of locals and his relatives who might consider him poor and needy, and would laugh at him, the bank official said.

Another grower, who also applied for the loan, refused to get it under the one-window operation programme and presented the same reason.

The one-window operation will continue till Dec 31, however the date could be extended.

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