Widows, divorced women of South Punjab: Minister opens digital ballot of livestock assets distribution programme

LAHORE: Punjab Minister for Livestock and Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani formally inaugurated the digital balloting of the livestock assets distribution programme among widows and divorced women of South Punjab.

He held a draw and announced the names of the lucky women for the project. Parliamentary Secretary Livestock Sardar Asim Sher Maken and Secretary Livestock Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel were also present on the occasion.

Kirmani said that from today, the process of distributing animals among widows and divorced women in different districts of South Punjab will also be started which is commencing first from Multan tehsil.

He highlighted that under the leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, most of the projects of the Punjab government are being implemented in less than a year. Thanks to the projects launched in the livestock and agriculture sectors, farmers in Punjab are progressing towards prosperity.

The programme for distributing livestock assets to widows and divorced women is a main project of the Chief Minister of Punjab for women’s empowerment. The aim is to support women living below the poverty line.

Under the programme, healthy cows and buffaloes (heifers, calves) will be provided free of cost in 12 districts of South Punjab. So far, more than 110,000 applications have been received. Out of the applications received, the applications of 11880 women have been verified.

The provincial minister explained that the urban unit has completed the verification process of eligible female applicants after physical verification by going door to door.

In the first phase, 5500 animals will be distributed to widows and divorced women. Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani further said that the Punjab Bank will also open an account for the women lucky women whose names drawn for the balloting and will also provide two months of feed money for raising their animals, while the Livestock Department will vaccinate and inseminate all the animals.

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