Punjab issues 900,000 Kissan Cards to farmers

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired a meeting of the Agriculture Department to review the progress of the Kissan Card programme and other agricultural mechanisation initiatives. Officials said the province has now issued 900,000 Kissan Cards, marking another major milestone.

During the meeting, officials informed the chief minister that another 50,000 farmers have recently been added to the programme, bringing Punjab closer to its target of providing one million Kissan Cards to farmers across the province.

A briefing revealed that farmers have so far received Rs360 billion in interest-free loans through the Kissan Card programme. Officials also said the loan recovery rate has reached an impressive 99 percent, reflecting strong participation and timely repayments by farmers.

According to the briefing, nearly 80 percent of the loans were used to purchase fertilisers. For the Kharif crop season, the government allocated Rs116 billion in loans, of which Rs62 billion has already been utilised. Around 75 percent of the Kharif loans were also spent on fertilisers.

Officials further informed the meeting that international audit firm KPMG will submit its impact assessment report on the Kissan Card programme by September 30. The government also plans to promote the programme internationally.

Speaking during the meeting, Maryam Nawaz said the government has taken practical steps to empower farmers and strengthen the agriculture sector through modern initiatives.

Also Read: Dr Yasmin Rashid death rumours denied by PTI

The meeting was also informed that 34,000 green tractors are being distributed across Punjab in three phases. Around 41 percent of the beneficiaries are receiving a tractor for the first time in their lives, while 20 percent have also purchased modern agricultural machinery along with their tractors.

Officials added that nearly 32 percent of the farmers who received tractors are now providing agricultural services to other farmers, helping improve agricultural mechanisation across rural areas.

Maryam Nawaz said that, for the first time in Punjab’s history, 50,000 tractors will be distributed over three years. She added that no previous government had launched a tractor distribution programme on such a large scale. She also said the entire tractor distribution process has been fully computerised, ensuring transparency and eliminating human intervention.