LAHORE (Dunya News) – The Punjab government has launched the “Apna Khet Apna Rozgar” scheme, a new initiative aimed at providing land and financial assistance to landless rural residents as part of broader efforts to boost agriculture and create livelihoods.
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bukhari said the programme had been formally launched following previous welfare initiatives, including the “Apni Chhat Apna Ghar” housing scheme and free plots for homeless individuals.
She described the new project as a flagship programme of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, saying it was expected to contribute to an agricultural transformation in the province and benefit thousands of people.
According to the minister, eligible beneficiaries under the scheme will receive agricultural land along with grants ranging from Rs50,000 to Rs250,000 to support cultivation and related farming activities.
Bukhari said land worth Rs160 billion was being allocated to landless villagers across Punjab under the initiative, adding that the land would be reserved solely for agricultural use.
She said the scheme was intended not only to generate employment opportunities in rural areas but also to empower low-income communities through access to productive assets.
Highlighting the provincial government’s wider agriculture agenda, the minister said several farmer-focused measures had already been introduced, including the Kisan Card programme, Green Tractor initiative, Super Seeder support and tubewell solarisation.
She maintained that these interventions had contributed to record wheat production in Punjab and reflected the government’s focus on modernising agriculture.
Bukhari also described the chief minister as committed to farmer welfare and said the agriculture sector remained among the government’s top priorities.
Officials believe the latest initiative could support rural livelihoods, expand cultivated land and strengthen agricultural productivity, though further details on eligibility criteria and implementation mechanisms are expected to emerge in due course.
The launch comes as provincial authorities continue to frame agriculture and rural development as central pillars of economic and social policy.