LAHORE: The Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department (L&DDD) has proposed a budgetary allocation of approximately Rs 12 billion for three major initiatives under the chief minister’s livestock programme.
These initiatives include herd transformation to enhance livestock productivity, a new internship programme within the livestock department and the establishment of a foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) free zone with vaccination in district Bahawalnagar.
These projects will be launched following formal approval by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif from next fiscal. This was revealed during a high-level meeting of the Livestock Department where discussions covered the Livestock Card scheme, distribution of livestock assets among rural women, and proposals for upcoming projects. Secretary Livestock Punjab, Saqib Ali Ateel also attended the meeting.
Addressing the meeting, Punjab Minister for Livestock Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani stated that livestock farmers who have availed loans under the “livestock farmer card” scheme will qualify for the next phase provided they repay their current loans within the designated timeframe of April 15 to May 15. He added that significant funding is being earmarked in the upcoming fiscal year’s budget for livestock sector development projects. These initiatives aim to uplift livestock farmers economically and improve overall sector performance.
The Minister further announced that Phase II of the livestock card initiative will run for six months, during which 300,000 animals will be distributed to farmers. Applications will be accepted from May 15 to June 15, and the Urban Unit will carry out physical verifications between June 9 and July 10. The first instalment of loans under Phase II will be disbursed starting July 15, and all newly distributed animals will be tagged for tracking purposes.
He also confirmed that, under Phase I, 5,500 animals have already been distributed among rural women across 12 districts of South Punjab.
Minister Kirmani also highlighted the launch of the Punjab Livestock CONNECT App, which will serve stakeholders including slaughterhouses, meat exporters, fattening farms, and farmers under the livestock card scheme. Through the app, users can submit complaints, access information on livestock financing and diseases, and provide feedback. He stressed that livestock divisional and district directors, along with additional directors, must update the app’s data every three months - warning that any negligence in this duty will not be tolerated.
The meeting was also attended by Additional Secretary Livestock Usman Tahir, Directors General of Extension, Production, and Research (Livestock), along with representatives from the Bank of Punjab, Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB), and Urban Unit. Divisional Directors from South Punjab participated via video link.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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