LAHORE: The Pakistan Animal Identification & Traceability System (PAITS) has tagged 86,549 male calves belonging to 12,843 farmers and approved for loan under the Punjab Chief Minister Livestock Card scheme.
So far, 11,204 cards under this scheme have been activated by the farmers and efforts are being made to approach those who have not activated their cards. This was disclosed at a meeting held in the livestock department under the chairmanship of Provincial Minister for Livestock and Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani on Tuesday.
The meeting reviewed the progress on the Punjab Chief Minister Livestock Card, distribution of livestock assets among rural widows and divorced women of South Punjab and other projects was reviewed. Secretary Livestock Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel also attended the meeting.
The Minister for Livestock said that the livestock department will inform the livestock farmers about all the upcoming stages of livestock card tagging, vaccination and insemination so that the livestock farmers do not face any problem in this regard. He further said that to know the actual number of animals and tagging status, the urban unit is conducting a re-verification survey.
Ashiq Hussain Kirmani said about 11,000 animals (heifers) will be distributed to rural women up to 55 years across 12 districts of South Punjab in two years. He explained that so far 3097 animals have been distributed to widows and divorced women in five districts of Punjab, Bahawalnagar, Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran and Rajanpur and cards have also been delivered to them by the Bank of Punjab. The Minister further said that to control foot-and-mouth disease in animals, directors, additional directors and veterinary officers posted in all districts should arrange for timely vaccination of animals in foot-and-mouth disease breakout areas. In case of death of animals, data should be reported and uploaded on the livestock App. No negligence will be tolerated in this regard. He endorsed that the livestock department head office has already issued guidelines in this regard.
The Minister instructed the divisional directors to conduct ring vaccination in the areas where the disease has emerged. He further said that all the divisional directors should survey their respective areas. He also issued orders to place advertisements in the newspaper. He directed the divisional directors to play their effective role in stopping the illegal slaughtering of female animals, conducting recovery campaigns against tenants, and removing illegal encroachments on the department’s lands.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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