KARACHI - Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah has said objectives of Sindh Bank is to help the people and common man in their efforts to boost up agriculture productivity and industrial sector aimed at development in backward areas and accelerating economic activity there. This he observed while presiding over a meeting of Board of Directors of Sindh Bank at Chief Minister House. Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that concerted efforts be made to enhance and spread maximum branches of the Bank in every nook and corner of the country particularly in the province of Sindh. He stressed the need to make the bank popular and said that recently he visited Federation of chambers of commerce and Industry where, the industrialists, traders and businessmen expressed their entire satisfaction about the Bank. Syed Qaim Ali Shah said that people of interior parts of the province are taking interest, while it will be further feasible that some industrialists and traders be inducted on Board of Directors of the Bank. CM Sindh added that the President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari and the Government has fully supported the Bank and will do the needful for development and progress of the same, as such the objectives of the Bank should be fully endorsed. President/CEO of Sindh Bank Ltd. Muhammad Bilal Shaikh in his briefing/presentation informed that the Sindh Bank under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister Sindh has started working in full swing and President Asif Ali Zardari inaugurated firs Naudero Branch on December 26, 2010. He said that the aims and objects of the Bank are to provide service and render activities for the benefit of the people. He informed that during the year 2011, 50 branches will be opened in Sindh province out of which 23 branches will be opened in 23 (all) districts of (one in each) while two branches will be established at every Divisional Headquarters. He added that the remaining branches will be established at various business centres in Sindh and other provinces. Regarding employment opportunities, Shaikh informed that more than 1000 staff is being recruited in the first year which include 300 support staff, 350 graduates, 250 postgraduates and 100 Senior Officers. The number of staff will be increasing with the opening of further branches in the coming days he added. He further informed that with an expected loan disbursement of Rs: 12 Billion during the year 2011 in various sectors, it is envisaged that both unskilled and semi-skilled furthers numbering at least 6000, will be employed on the assumption that any concern/ small scale industry availing loan of Rs: 10 million will need 5 persons which will benefit their facilities to a great extent. He informed that the bank will increase commercial activity/ industrialization, stabilize population movement, generate employment opportunities, improve agricultural out put, and standard of living. With regard to social uplift, there will be peoples empowerment, particularly the women and will support public private partnership in infrastructure projects in the coming years which will also supplement govts efforts in rehabilitating flood victims, he added. Bilal Shaikh further said that all branches of Sindh Bank will be online and an account opened in any branch in Real-time Online mode. Shaikh further informed that Sindh Bank will facilitate the customers to generate or request multiple ATM cards having different names/ addresses and schemes like Benazir Zarai Cards, Benazir Income support cards, employees salary cards can be generated using the existing facilities of the Bank without any special arrangements. Their will be internet / E Banking, Opening of Home accounts and other facilities are available. The meeting was also attended by Sindh Finance Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, Chief Secretary Sindh & Chairman of Sindh Bank Ghulam Ali Shah Pasha, Additional Chief Secretary (P&D) Ishaque Lashari, Secretary Finance Sindh Muhammad Siddique Memon, Secretary to Chief Minister Sindh Ahmed Bux Narejo and others.