LAHORE, June 13 – The Punjab government will provide Rs100 billion in interest-free loans to farmers this Kharif season under Phase II of its Kisan Card scheme, officials announced on Saturday. The programme, billed as South Asia’s largest digital agriculture initiative, now covers landholdings up to 25 acres, doubling the previous 12.5-acre limit.
Each farmer may borrow up to Rs300,000, with 30 percent available in cash, 20 percent for diesel purchases and the remaining 50 percent earmarked for seeds, fertilisers and pesticides. To ensure fair pricing and quality, 3,750 registered dealerships will stock inputs at notified rates, while diesel can be bought at 732 PSO-affiliated fuel stations. The chief minister has also waived all service charges and processing fees.
Since the Phase II rollout, the Agriculture Department has received 300,000 new applications, which are now with the Bank of Punjab for approval. Officials say the digital system frees farmers from middlemen and commission agents when procuring farm inputs.
Launched a year ago, the Kissan Card scheme has registered 1.5 million farmers via mobile phone, with National Database and Registration Authority (NADRA) and Punjab Land Records Authority verifications leading to 600,000 cards issued in Phase I. Beneficiaries drew down Rs36 billion in interest-free loans during the Rabi 2024–25 season, underscoring the programme’s rapid adoption among Punjab’s farming community.
