The Punjab government has announced a major initiative to support poor farmers by offering four acres of cultivable land on an annual lease of just Rs100. Under the Punjab farmland lease scheme, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz launched a computerized balloting process in Lahore to allocate government-owned agricultural land to 30,000 landless and deserving families, aiming to improve livelihoods and boost agricultural production.
Through the computerized draw, a total of 121,000 acres of cultivable government land were allocated among 30,000 landless families across the province. In addition to the land, each selected family will receive Rs200,000 in financial assistance to help start farming and manage initial cultivation expenses.
Speaking at the ceremony, Maryam Nawaz said the scheme was launched on April 22 and received around 60,000 applications, including 11,000 from women. She added that the balloting for 29,000 plots has been completed, allotment letters will be issued within one week, and possession of the land will be handed over by July 31.
The Chief Minister said the main objective of the program is to provide economic independence to landless and extremely deserving families while increasing agricultural output across Punjab. She emphasized that the land has been distributed strictly on merit, with no recommendations or political influence accepted during the selection process.
Maryam Nawaz further announced that wherever cultivable government land becomes available in Punjab, it will be distributed in phases among deserving families under the Punjab farmland lease scheme. She said the initiative is designed to strengthen rural communities, improve food production, and restore dignity to farmers by giving them an opportunity to earn a sustainable livelihood.