LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Livestock & Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani on Friday inaugurated the registration process of deserving women for the distribution of 11,000 livestock assets to enable them to earn handsome livelihoods.
Under this scheme, applications for the distribution of livestock will be accepted for poor widows and divorced women in 12 districts of South Punjab. The ceremony was attended by Parliamentary Secretary for Livestock Punjab Sardar Aasim Makin and the Secretary for Livestock Punjab Saqib Ali Ateeq.
Provincial Minister for Livestock and Agriculture said 10,000 applications have already been received. The application collection will continue until November 10. In the event that one hundred thousand or more applications are received by November 10, a fair distribution of livestock will be ensured through transparent e-balloting process. The Chief Minister of Punjab will personally visit a district in South Punjab to distribute livestock assets among rural women.
The Minister said with a substantial budget of 2 billion rupees, livestock assets will be transferred to 11,000 widowed and divorced women in South Punjab. Healthy buffaloes or cows will be provided to rural women free of charge under this scheme.
The maximum age limit for women is set at 55 years having a PMT score of 32 or below for poverty and should not have received livestock from any other scheme in the last 5 years. They can apply by downloading the application from the Play Store/App Store or rural women can also approach the Chief Minister’s Facilitation Desk established at the nearest veterinary dispensary for registration, the Minister added.
Ashiq Kirmani said the Chief Minister of Punjab has a deep concern for farmers and livestock farmers. The motto of the CM of Punjab is prosperity of livestock farmers.
The CM has allocated significant amount for the development of the livestock sector during her eight months in office, which previous governments could not achieve in five years, he added. Under the leadership of the CM this program is a historic initiative to empower rural women.
This scheme aims to make rural women self-sufficient and stand on their own feet. With the economic improvement of women, there will also be an increase in overall milk production, the Minister hoped. He vowed to achieve a good breed of animals through healthy production under this scheme.
The event was also attended by Additional Secretary for Livestock Dr. Usman Tahir, Director General (Extension) Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Director General (Research) Dr. Sajjad Hussain, as well as representatives from PITB, Urban Unit, and Punjab Social Protection Authority.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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