ISLAMABAD, Oct 27: The Zarai Taraqiati Bank has decided to revamp its technology department for the first time in 20 years and formed a committee of experts to recommend measures in order to help farmers and increase productivity.

The decision was made at a meeting on Monday which was attended by officials of agriculture technology and specialists in diversified fields.

ZTBL president Zaka Ashraf chaired the meeting.

It was decided that regional technical officers would be posted in all branches of the bank shortly to facilitate small farmers and to boost growth through increase in per acre crop yield by innovative use of accessible technology from farm to market.

Sources said that a majority of subject specialists in the bank were sitting idle drawing hefty salaries and for that reason the management decided to engage them in a productive way.

It may be mentioned that the bank had locally manufactured machines for farmers in the 1980s. However, the sources said, the machinery was not up-to-the-mark and did not impress farmers.—Reporter