LAHORE: The financial institutions partner in the Punjab government’s Kissan package loan scheme have assured Chief Minister that the target of loans will be met within the time line set for the purpose.

The assurance came at a meeting on Thursday where progress on the implementation of the interest-free loans package for small farmers was discussed.

The chief minister directed the banks’ representatives to make the process of loan procurement easy by using digital system and also abolishing the prescribed fee for obtaining the loans.

He said the finance minister would review the loan programme fortnightly, and he himself every month.

He said 600,000 small farmers and landless farmers would benefit from the package prepared after consulting all stakeholders. He said that in the past loans worth billions of rupees were written off on political basis.

Mr Sharif said for the first time farmers are being provided interest-free loans through a transparent process.

Provincial ministers Dr Ayesha Ghaus Pasha, Mian Atta Manika and Naeem Akhtar Bhabha, advisers Dr Aijaz Nabi and Dr Umer Saif, PLRA chairman Rana Babar Hussain, the chief secretary, deputy governor of the State Bank of Pakistan and representatives of partner banks attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2017