Punjab Livestock Card Phase 3: Interest-Free Loans Up to Rs. 540,000 for Farmers With 5-20 Cattle
Registration for the third phase of the CM Punjab Livestock Card opened on July 15, 2026. The scheme provides interest-free loans to livestock farmers, with the maximum amount raised to Rs. 540,000 under this phase — the highest ceiling since the programme began in 2024.
Eligible farmers must own between 5 and 20 male calves, bulls, heifers, cattle or buffaloes, according to the Livestock and Dairy Development Department. Applicants must be residents of Punjab, hold a valid original CNIC, and have a mobile SIM registered in their own name at the time of applying.
What the Loan Can Be Used For
The loan is not distributed as cash upfront. Farmers use it to purchase wanda (animal feed), silage, and mineral mixtures from registered dealers in their tehsil, after their identity and card validity are verified at the point of purchase. Senior veterinary officer, who has overseen implementation in several districts, said cardholders complete this verification directly with registered dealers rather than through a separate bank visit, which is intended to keep the process quick for farmers who may need feed urgently.
Separately, the scheme includes a facility to withdraw up to 25 percent of the loan amount in cash, intended to cover operational costs, vaccination expenses, and other care needs that can't be met through feed vendors directly.
How to Apply
Four registration channels are available:
- Online, through the official portal at plc.punjab.gov.pk, or by scanning the QR code on official department advertisements
- In person, at CM Facilitation Desks and Maqam Sahulat desks set up in veterinary hospitals
- By phone, through the 24-hour helpline at 08000-9211
- Field-level facilitation desks, staffed by veterinary officers and assistants, for farmers who need in-person help completing the form
The Bank of Punjab manages the financial side of the scheme once an applicant is verified and approved, handling disbursement and the cash-withdrawal component of the loan.
Early Numbers From Phase 3
Registration is active and drawing real volume. In Rawalpindi district alone, more than 1,000 applications had been received as of late July, according to Dr. Mad-e-ha Tariq, the scheme's district focal person. She noted that veterinary officers and assistants have been staffing field-level desks specifically to help farmers who are unfamiliar with the online portal complete their applications in person. Province-wide totals for Phase 3 haven't been separately published.
How This Phase Compares to Earlier Ones
The Livestock Card scheme has scaled up significantly since it began. The first phase, which registered farmers by SMS between November and December 2024, offered loans between Rs. 135,000 and Rs. 270,000 and targeted 10,000 to 20,000 farmers and roughly 100,000 animals in its first year. By the second year, the programme's stated target grew to 30,000 to 60,000 farmers and 300,000 animals, with an overall goal across early phases of issuing cards to 40,000 to 80,000 farmers.
Phase 3 raises both the loan ceiling and the animal ownership range farmers can qualify under — up from a narrower band in earlier phases to the current 5-to-20-animal range — reflecting a stated government aim of extending the scheme to larger small-scale operations rather than only the smallest herds. Some official communications have also linked the expanded phase to broader goals around strengthening Punjab's rural economy and supporting the province's meat export capacity, alongside the scheme's original focus on dairy and calf-fattening support.
Repayment Terms Still Need Confirming for Phase 3
Under earlier phases, loans in the Rs. 135,000-270,000 range carried a 4-month term with an additional 1-month grace period for repayment. The Livestock and Dairy Development Department has not published a separate, explicitly confirmed repayment schedule for the larger Rs. 540,000 Phase 3 loans in the reporting available at the time of writing. Farmers should confirm the exact repayment term and any applicable conditions directly through the official portal or helpline before accepting a loan, rather than assuming the earlier phase's terms carry over unchanged.
What to Watch For
Applicants should register only through the four official channels above. The Livestock and Dairy Development Department has specifically warned against unofficial websites and social media pages claiming to process registrations or guarantee approval — completing an application does not by itself guarantee a loan, since verification still has to confirm animal ownership and applicant details.
Related Guides on JhangNews
If you are interested in government support programs and agricultural development, you may also like these articles:
- Punjab Government Schemes 2026
- PSER Registration Guide
- CM Punjab Solar Panel Scheme
- CM Punjab Apni Chhat Apna Ghar Scheme
- Punjab T-Cash Card
- Punjab eBike Scheme
- Punjab High-Tech Agriculture Programs
- PM Apna Ghar Program
This article is based on statements from the Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab and reporting by the Associated Press of Pakistan and other Pakistani news outlets. Loan terms, eligibility and registration procedures are set by the department and may be updated — confirm current details at Livestock and Dairy Development Department Punjab or through the official helpline before applying.