CM Punjab Livestock Card Scheme — How to Apply (2026)

Q: How is the interest charged on the Livestock Card — daily or monthly?

Interest accrues daily on the outstanding balance at the 4% per annum rate, calculated and billed monthly. If you draw Rs. 500,000 on the 1st and repay it on the 15th, you pay interest for those 15 days only. The reducing balance method means there is no incentive to delay repayments — paying down early reduces interest proportionally.

Q: Are there limits on how often I can withdraw funds from the card?

There is no monthly transaction limit on the Livestock Card. You can draw funds as often as needed up to your approved credit limit. Each transaction generates an automated SMS confirmation. The credit limit refreshes as you repay — for example, repaying Rs. 200,000 of a Rs. 500,000 outstanding balance frees up Rs. 200,000 of fresh credit capacity.

Q: Can the Livestock Card credit limit be increased over time?

Yes, based on demonstrated repayment history. After 12 months of successful card use with no defaults, you can apply for a limit increase. The branch reviews your livestock growth, repayment pattern and financial profile. Increases of up to 50% above the original limit are common; larger increases require fresh credit assessment similar to the original application.

Q: Does the Livestock Card report to the eCIB credit bureau?

Yes. The Livestock Card is reported to State Bank's Credit Information Bureau as a revolving credit facility. Good repayment performance builds your credit history, which helps when applying for larger agricultural loans or other credit facilities later. Default reports stay on eCIB for seven years and severely restrict future borrowing.

The CM Punjab Livestock Card Scheme is a credit programme designed specifically for registered livestock farmers in Punjab. Launched in 2024 as part of the provincial government's agricultural modernisation push, the scheme provides concessional financing for buying cattle, buffalo and small ruminants, plus funds for feed, veterinary services and basic livestock infrastructure. The card is administered through Bank of Punjab's agriculture branches.

Farmers eligible for the Livestock Card

The Livestock Card targets active livestock farmers — not absentee landowners or first-time agriculture entrants. Eligibility criteria include:

Age between 21 and 60 on the application date.
Holds a valid Pakistani CNIC.
Holds Punjab domicile.
Registered as an active livestock farmer with the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department (PL&DDD) — verified through their farmer registry.
Currently owns at least four head of large livestock (cows, buffaloes) or twenty head of small ruminants (goats, sheep). Minimum stock evidence is required.
Has been operating the livestock farm for at least two years.
No active default on any other bank loan or agricultural credit.

Specific quotas are reserved for women livestock farmers (20%) and farmers from southern Punjab districts where livestock farming is a major economic activity (15%). These quotas effectively improve selection odds for qualifying applicants.

Registration with the PL&DDD farmer registry is the most common reason for first-time applicants being initially ineligible. If you are not already registered, visit your tehsil livestock office with your CNIC and land documents to complete the registry process — this is free and typically takes one to two weeks.

Credit limits and what the card covers

Credit limits are set at the application stage based on a scoring formula combining current livestock holdings, farm land area, historical revenue (from milk and meat sales), and personal credit profile. The structure is:

Tier 1: Rs. 300,000 to Rs. 800,000 — small livestock operations with 4 to 10 head of large livestock.
Tier 2: Rs. 800,001 to Rs. 1,500,000 — medium-sized farms with 11 to 30 head and established dairy revenue.
Tier 3: Rs. 1,500,001 to Rs. 2,000,000 — larger commercial farms with 30+ head, formal dairy supply arrangements, or significant goat/sheep flocks.

The card can be used for these specific purposes:

Purchase of additional livestock — cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep from registered vendors.
Animal feed — concentrate feeds, fodder, silage from registered feed mills.
Veterinary services — vaccinations, medicines, deworming, artificial insemination, emergency treatment at registered vet clinics.
Basic farm infrastructure — feeding troughs, watering systems, milk-collection equipment, small biogas units.
Insurance premium payments for livestock insurance policies.

The card cannot be used for general purposes — using it for non-livestock purchases (groceries, household items, fuel) triggers automatic suspension and recovery action.

Animal and feed types financed

The scheme is specific about which animals and feeds can be purchased with the card. The approved list reflects Punjab's livestock economy:

Cattle — local breeds (Sahiwal, Cholistani, Achai), crossbreds (Friesian-cross, Jersey-cross) and exotic dairy breeds (Holstein-Friesian, Jersey) from registered vendors only.
Buffaloes — Nili-Ravi, Kundi and other Pakistani buffalo breeds. Cross-province purchases are permitted if the vendor is registered with their provincial livestock authority.
Goats — Beetal, Teddy, Kamori, Nachi and other goat breeds suitable for milk and meat production.
Sheep — Sipli, Lohi, Kachhi and other Punjab sheep breeds.
Compound feeds — registered brands of concentrate feed, milk replacer, calf starter and specialised dairy feeds.
Fodder — purchased fodder from registered farm vendors, including hay, silage and chopped green fodder during off-seasons.

Poultry (chickens, ducks, turkeys) is not currently covered under the Livestock Card — Punjab runs a separate Poultry Development Scheme for that segment. Camels, horses and other specialised livestock fall outside the scheme's current scope.

Paperwork including livestock census records

Livestock Card applications require documentation that establishes both your identity and your active livestock operations:

CNIC of applicant — original and photocopy.
Punjab domicile certificate.
PL&DDD farmer registry certificate — issued at registration and renewed annually.
Land record (fard or lease deed) — showing ownership or formal lease of farm premises where the livestock is housed.
Recent livestock census record — issued by the tehsil livestock office showing current head count and species. Renewed every six months.
Six months of dairy supply records — if you supply milk to formal collectors (Engro, Nestle, Haleeb, smaller co-operatives), bring records of deliveries.
Bank statements for the past twelve months — showing livestock-related receipts and expenses.
NTN certificate if registered for income tax. New applicants without NTN can register during the loan process.
Two guarantors with their CNICs — creditworthy individuals willing to co-sign the card.

Application steps via Bank of Punjab

Verify PL&DDD farmer registration
Visit your tehsil livestock office to confirm or complete the PL&DDD farmer registration. Without this registration, the Bank of Punjab application will be rejected at the automated check stage. Registration is free and takes one to two weeks if you have land documents ready.
Visit a Bank of Punjab agriculture branch
Not all branches handle Livestock Card applications — only the agriculture-focused branches in livestock-intensive areas. Bank of Punjab's website lists the specific branches. Walk in with all documents during office hours.
Submit the formal application
Complete the application form. Pay the Rs. 2,500 processing fee. The application captures your livestock head count, dairy revenue history, intended use of credit, and guarantor details.
Livestock verification visit
Within two to four weeks, an Agriculture Department officer visits your farm to verify the declared livestock numbers and farm conditions. Be present, have your animals accessible for counting, and introduce the officer to any farm workers who can corroborate your operations.
Approval and card activation
If credit assessment and livestock verification pass, you receive an approval letter with the assigned credit limit. The physical card is delivered to the branch within one week of approval. Activate the card via the Bank of Punjab mobile app or at the branch.

Livestock Card — common queries

How is the interest charged on the Livestock Card — daily or monthly?

Can I use the Livestock Card to buy animals from informal village vendors?

No. Card purchases are restricted to vendors registered with the Bank of Punjab Livestock Card vendor network. Major registered livestock markets in each district are included, as well as certified individual breeders and PL&DDD-approved vendors. Informal village transactions cannot be paid with the card. If you want to buy from an informal vendor, you need to use cash from your own funds, not card credit.

What happens if my livestock dies and the card balance is significant?

Outstanding card balance remains payable regardless of livestock outcomes — the card is a credit obligation, not an insurance product. To protect against livestock loss, consider livestock insurance separately (premium payments themselves can be funded from the Livestock Card). If a major loss occurs without insurance, contact the branch promptly — restructuring options are sometimes available for genuinely catastrophic losses (such as disease outbreaks affecting a whole herd).

Are there limits on how often I can withdraw funds from the card?

Can the Livestock Card credit limit be increased over time?

Does the Livestock Card report to the eCIB credit bureau?

Note on repayment alignment with milking cycles

Most successful Livestock Card borrowers structure their card use to align with their cash flow cycles. Dairy farmers supplying formal collectors receive monthly payments — using the card to fund feed purchases between payments and repaying when milk revenue arrives works well. Meat producers may have more seasonal cycles tied to Eid-ul-Adha or other demand peaks, and benefit from drawing card credit ahead of the season and repaying immediately after sales.

The 4% interest rate is genuinely concessional — commercial agricultural lending typically runs at 14% to 18% — so the card can be used aggressively without ruinous interest accumulation. That said, the underlying obligation is real and serious — defaults damage your credit profile and the guarantors you brought into the application. Treat the card as a tool for productive purposes rather than as loose spending money.

Credit limits, interest rate, eligible purchases and documentation requirements described above reflect the Livestock Card programme as of early 2026. The Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department reviews these annually — verify current terms at any Bank of Punjab agriculture branch before relying on details from this guide.