Punjab farmers get record 832,000 Kissan Cards as Maryam Nawaz drives agricultural innovation

LAHORE: Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has achieved a major milestone in her mission to bring innovation to the agricultural sector, with a record-breaking number of Kissan Cards issued to farmers across the province. For the first time in Punjab’s history, more than 832,000 farmers have been issued Kissan Cards under the visionary initiative aimed at transforming agriculture and empowering small landowners.

According to official figures, farmers holding the Kissan Card have collectively utilized agricultural loans worth over 25.4 billion rupees. The initiative has provided farmers with direct access to interest-free credit, eliminating their dependence on traditional middlemen and local arhtis (commission agents) who have historically exploited small farmers.

During the wheat season, farmers purchased agricultural inputs worth more than 100 billion rupees through the Kissan Card. The recovery rate for agricultural loans has set a new record, with 67 billion rupees recovered from 538,000 farmers, achieving an impressive 86 percent recovery rate. Farmers have demonstrated an outstanding example of financial discipline by repaying installments worth 57 billion rupees on time.

For the Kharif (summer) crop season, 90 billion rupees have been provided to farmers for agricultural inputs through the Kissan Card. Already, 300,000 farmers have acquired agricultural inputs worth 30 billion rupees under the scheme.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif stated that the fate of Punjab’s farmers is being transformed through the Kissan Card initiative. She emphasized that Punjab’s farmers will no longer remain indebted to middlemen and will live with dignity and self-respect.

“Seeing the farmers of Punjab on the path to financial independence and prosperity is my dream,” the Chief Minister said. She further praised the farming community for setting an excellent example by repaying agricultural loans in a timely manner, calling it a testament to their commitment and integrity.

The Kissan Card initiative is a flagship program of the Punjab government, designed to provide farmers with subsidized agricultural inputs, interest-free loans, and direct access to government support. The card is linked to the farmer’s CNIC and land record verified through the Punjab Land Record Authority, ensuring complete transparency and eliminating corruption from the distribution of agricultural subsidies.

Under the scheme, small farmers owning up to 12.5 acres of land are eligible for interest-free loans of up to 150,000 rupees. The government bears the entire markup cost, allowing farmers to focus on cultivation without the burden of financial stress. The program also includes access to high-quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, and modern agricultural machinery.

The successful rollout of the Kissan Card program has been widely praised by agricultural experts and economists, who see it as a model for digital governance in the agricultural sector. The initiative has not only improved the financial well-being of small farmers but has also contributed to increased agricultural productivity across the province.

With the record issuance of 832,000 Kissan Cards and the highest-ever loan recovery rate of 86 percent, the Punjab government has demonstrated that direct benefit transfer programs can be both efficient and transformative when implemented with transparency and technological integration.