Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz chaired a high-level meeting of the Agriculture Department on Wednesday to review progress on the Kisan Card, agricultural mechanisation initiatives, and various farmer welfare programmes across the province.
Officials informed the meeting that 900,000 Kisan Cards have been issued so far, while farmers have received Rs360 billion in interest-free loans under the scheme. According to the briefing, the loan recovery rate has reached 99 percent, with 80 percent of the funds being used to purchase fertilisers.
The meeting was also told that 34,000 Green Tractors are being distributed across Punjab in three phases. Maryam Nawaz said that, for the first time in the province’s history, 50,000 tractors will be provided to farmers over a three-year period. She added that the entire distribution process has been fully computerised to eliminate human intervention, while the government has completed the physical verification of 12,650 tractors through a new field survey.
Reviewing agricultural development initiatives, officials said 3,000 agriculture graduates have been enrolled in an internship programme, providing agricultural extension services to farmers across 12 million acres of farmland. According to the briefing, 30 percent of graduates who completed the programme have secured permanent employment, while 50 percent have been placed in public and private sector jobs.
The government also approved the induction of an additional 1,500 agriculture graduates in the next phase of the programme. The meeting approved the establishment of 10 new Model Agri Malls equipped with modern facilities across the province. Officials presented the project’s design, visual plans, and models, which were formally endorsed during the session.
The meeting further noted that 280 modern agricultural machines have already been distributed to farmers under the agricultural mechanisation programme. The government aims to provide a total of 2,000 modern machines by June 2027 to further improve farm productivity and efficiency.
Meanwhile in another major initiative Punjab government has announced to provide 100,000 electric bikes to students across the province through an interest-free installment scheme, aimed at making transportation more affordable and environmentally friendly.
Punjab Education Minister Rana Sikandar Hayat said the first phase of the programme will be exclusively for students, enabling them to access low-cost, eco-friendly transport for their daily commute. He said students will pay a monthly installment of approximately Rs2,100 for the electric bikes. The provincial government will also subsidise the registration fee and down payment, with each eligible student receiving up to Rs70,000 in total financial assistance, making the bikes more affordable. According to the minister, the scheme will distribute 100,000 electric bikes to students throughout Punjab and will be entirely based on interest-free financing, allowing a larger number of students to benefit from the programme.
