Over 800,000 Farmers Complete Registration for Punjab Chief Minister’s Kisan Card

Lahore, Pakistan – Punjab’s Agriculture Minister, Ashiq Hussain Kermani, along with Secretary of Agriculture Punjab, Iftikhar Ali Seho, announced the completion of the registration process for the Chief Minister Punjab Kisan Card, which aims to enhance agricultural productivity and self-sufficiency.

Speaking at a recent event held at the Agriculture Extension Office, Minister Kermani highlighted that the Kisan Card is a significant step towards improving agricultural output per acre, thus contributing substantially to the province’s agricultural self-reliance. He described the initiative as a potential game-changer for the prosperity of farmers.

As of now, over 800,000 farmers have been successfully registered for the Kisan Card. Following scrutiny, the Bank of Punjab has verified over 280,000 farmers for the card. Secretary Seho further explained that special teams have been formed to handle manual verifications in non-computerized areas, and farmers have been informed accordingly.

The Kisan Card will serve as a tool for providing subsidies for various agricultural schemes and is expected to become a positive identifier for farmer prosperity in the future. A total of 137 delivery centers have been established at the tehsil level to facilitate the distribution of these cards. The program will officially commence on October 15, ahead of the wheat sowing season, enabling timely procurement of quality agricultural inputs.

Farmers owning between 1 and 12.5 acres of land will be eligible for interest-free loans ranging from PKR 30,000 to PKR 150,000. Additionally, with the Kisan Card, farmers will be able to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural inputs from 2,160 registered dealers. The entire purchase process will be closely monitored.

Under the Punjab Chief Minister Green Tractor Scheme, 9,500 tractors will be distributed among farmers through a transparent lottery system, with the Punjab government providing a subsidy of PKR 9.5 billion.

Minister Kermani and Secretary Seho inspected the front desk and delivery points, assessing the data feeding and card delivery processes. They also visited the Ayub Agricultural Research Institute in Faisalabad to review ongoing research and agricultural advancements.

Director of Agricultural Information Faisalabad, Dr. Asif Ali, provided a briefing on the efforts to promote the Kisan Card initiative through the department’s YouTube and Facebook pages. He mentioned that agricultural books and pamphlets on crop production technologies are being distributed through information kiosks.

The Punjab Agriculture Minister praised the positive initiative and the ongoing research at the institute. He urged scientists to introduce new crop varieties that can enhance per-acre yield, particularly in cotton, while considering climatic changes. The research institute has already introduced over 705 new varieties of crops, fruits, vegetables, and fodder plants.