DUSHANBE, April 11, 2009 Asia-Plus — On Friday April 10, President Emomali Rahmon met with heads of banks to review the results of work carried out by banks over the first quarter of this year, according to presidential press service.
Chairman of the National Bank of Tajikistan Sharif Rahimszoda, Finance Minister Safarali Najmuddinov, State Adviser to the President for Economic Matters Matloubkhon Davlatov, and a number of other officials also attended the meeting.
Chairman of central bank and heads of other banks of the country reported on the results of the work carried out by banks in January-March this year.
During the meeting it was noted that 121 lending and 101 microfinance organizations currently functioned in the country. Over the first three months of this year, they have provided microloans for a total amount of 401.3 million somoni, which is 17.9 million somoni more than in the same period of last year. Of this amount, 102.2 million somoni have been provided to enterprises and entrepreneurs in remote mountain areas, which is 5.1 million somoni, or 5.2 percent, more than in the same period of last year.
The meeting also considered issues related to failure of cotton farmers to pay off last year’s government credit. President Rahmon charged banks to provide this year’s government cotton credit to farming unit for 1.5 years and at relatively low annual interest, the press service said.
He also called on banks to increase lending for the production sector, take adequate measures to attract more foreign capital, and reduce loan interest rates.
