LAHORE  -  Provincial Minister for Livestock and Agriculture Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani has said that the Livestock Card is an interest-free loan program and 80,000 livestock farmers will get benefit from this scheme.

He was addressing the memorandum of understanding signing ceremony on Tuesday which was held for the Chief Minister Punjab Livestock Card program at Bank of Punjab head office Lahore. The registration process of livestock card has started from Tuesday. Parliamentary Secretary Livestock Sardar Asim Makeen were also present on this occasion. The MoU was signed by Secretary Livestock Punjab Saqib Ali Ateel and President Bank of Punjab Zafar Masood.

The Minister for Livestock and Agriculture said that the Livestock Card is launched by the Punjab government with an amount of Rs11 billion. He explained that 4 lakh animals will be prepared for the fattening program. Their quality meat will be exported as well as fulfilling the local needs. The livestock minister maintained that interest-free loan will be given on equal installments quarterly. 27 thousand rupees loan will be provided per animal. Loan facility of Rs 135,000 to Rs 270,000 will be available for livestock farmers. He highlighted that from December 15, the livestock card will become active for purchase. Livestock farmers will be able to purchase silage, vanda and mineral mixture from registered dealers in Punjab. The minister endorsed that the previous governments did not pay attention to the livestock sector. For the first time, the Chief Minister as allocated an amount of Rs. 20 billion for the development of the livestock sector on a priority basis which will benefit small livestock farmers having 5 to 10 animals. The Livestock Department will also manage tagging, vaccination and insemination of these animals. He mentioned that farmers producing healthy animals will be linked with major exporters of Punjab. Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani added that the Livestock Department continues to work on compartments, zones and research centres in the province. He further said that the CM Punjab wants the improvement and development of the livestock farmers.

Director General (Extension) Livestock Dr. Muhammad Ashraf, Director General (Research) Livestock Dr. Sajjad Hussain, Group Chief Corporate and Investment Bank of Punjab Nofal Dawood,  Head Marketing Bank of Punjab Asad Zia and other officers also participated in the ceremony.