Punjab CM describes distribution of Kissan Card on large scale as agri transformation

LAHORE: Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz on Wednesday said the province was witnessing a major agricultural transformation, with 900,000 Kissan Cards already distributed while the target of 10 million cards would be achieved by next month.

The target of issuing one million Kissan Cards would be completed by August 31, 2026, after the inclusion of another 50,000 farmers.

As many as 3,000 agriculture graduates had been inducted under the internship programme, providing advisory services to farmers across 12 million acres. Around 30-percent of the interns had secured permanent employment after completing the programme, while the overall job placement rate stood at 50 percent. It was decided to induct another 1,500 agriculture graduates in the next phase of the internship programme, expanding opportunities for young professionals in the agriculture sector.

Chairing a high-level meeting of the Agriculture Department, the chief minister reviewed the progress of the Kissan Card programme, agricultural mechanisation, fertiliser supply, demand and market prices.

The meeting was informed that interest-free agricultural loans worth Rs360 billion had been disbursed under the Kissan Card scheme, with a recovery rate of 99 per cent.

The CM also approved the design of 10 new state-of-the-art Model Agri Malls to provide modern agricultural services and facilities to farmers across the province.

The CM approved the Thal Transformation Programme, which includes the construction of 1,000 water storage ponds and irrigation schemes in the Thal region. She also approved the plantation of orange orchards on 10,000 acres in underdeveloped areas of Thal to promote horticulture and improve livelihoods.

The meeting was informed that 280 advanced agricultural machines had so far been provided to farmers under the mechanisation programme, while a target had been set to distribute a total of 2,000 modern agricultural machines by June 2027.

Reviewing the Green Tractor Scheme, officials informed the meeting participants that 24,000 tractors had already been delivered to farmers with a subsidy of Rs1 million per tractor. Under the three-phase programme, a total of 34,000 green tractors are being distributed, while 41-percent of beneficiaries have received a tractor for the first time in their lives.

The CM said no previous government had provided tractors to farmers on such a large scale, adding that 50,000 tractors would be distributed over three years for the first time in Punjab’s history.

She said farmers had been truly empowered through the government’s initiatives and added that the entire tractor distribution process had been fully computerised, eliminating human intervention to ensure transparency.

Officials informed the meeting participants that physical verification of 12,650 tractors had been completed, with 99.7-percent found in the field. Notices had been issued to allottees of 35 tractors that were not found during verification.

The meeting was further informed that around 80-percent of the disbursed agricultural loans had been utilised for the purchase of fertilisers. Of the Rs116bn allocated for Kharif crops, Rs62 billion had already been utilised, while 75 percent of the Kharif loans had been spent specifically on fertiliser purchases.

The meeting was informed that water conservation initiatives were also progressing rapidly. These include the provision of 1,000 laser land levellers, the conversion of agricultural land to high-efficiency irrigation systems, construction of 1,200 additional watercourses, establishment of 1,000 recharge wells in central Punjab, and installation of high-efficiency irrigation systems over 11,000 acres in the Thal region.

Officials further said that 2,400 acres out of the planned 4,000 acres under the Potohar Transformation Plan had already been prepared for cultivation, while 1,000 water storage ponds had been established in Potohar to conserve rainwater.

The meeting was also informed that 5,000 super seeders had already been distributed to farmers to curb crop residue burning and reduce smog, while another 7,000 machines would be distributed this year, increasing the total number to 12,000 by October 2026.

Briefing the chief minister on fertiliser availability, officials said Pakistan was fully self-sufficient in urea production and that fertiliser prices in Punjab had remained stable between Rs4,400 and Rs4,500 for the past two and a quarter years due to effective government oversight.

The meeting was further informed that international audit firm KPMG would submit its impact assessment report on the Kisan Card programme by September 30, while efforts would also be made to promote the initiative at the global level.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026