LAHORE: At least 11,000 destitute rural women of 12 districts of south Punjab will benefit from the Rs2 billion package given by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif for dignified employment for rural women to ensure their economic independence.

Under the initiative, cows and buffaloes will be provided free of cost to rural women so that they can raise them and earn a decent income for their families.

The initiative has been launched in Multan, Khanewal, Lodhran, Vehari, Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Layyah, Muzaffargarh, Rajanpura and Kot Addu.

The chief minister said “destitute women of villages will be able to earn dignified employment by raising cows and buffaloes.”

Moreover, 80,000 cattle farmers of Punjab will be able to get interest-free loans worth Rs27,000 per animal on easy installments to buy Vanda (a specific animal feed), mineral mixture and silage from registered dealers by using Livestock Cards, she added.

She said that 0.4 million cattle heads would be ready for meat export under the project.

She said that a cattle identity traceability system would be implemented for the ease of livestock care.

Helpline for the farmers is active beside the availability of online registration facility.

Under the project, farmers will also be provided with services like free insemination, vanda and silage quality testing.

The chief minister promised full support of her government for the livestock farmers arguing it would increase milk and meat production not only for meeting local needs but also for export purposes.

Published in Dawn, December 30th, 2024