Punjab free livestock scheme: 3,380 women selected in phase 2, cows and buffaloes handed out from 21 October

3,380 women have been selected in the second phase of the Chief Minister's Livestock Asset Transfer Scheme, Punjab's free cow and buffalo scheme, and distribution starts on Wednesday 21 October, ProPakistani reported, citing the Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB). The electronic ballot was held on 14 October.

Who gets it

The scheme, run by the Punjab Livestock and Dairy Development Department, gives free cows and buffaloes to widowed and divorced women in rural South Punjab so they can earn from milk and livestock. The second phase has an estimated budget of Rs 3 billion.

To qualify, an applicant must:

• be 55 or younger
• hold a valid CNIC
• have a mobile SIM registered in her own name
• not have received livestock under any government scheme in the last five years

The scheme covers 13 South Punjab districts, including Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur, Layyah, Lodhran, Khanewal and Vehari.

How to check your selection status

1. Open the Livestock Asset Transfer portal at punjab.gov.pk/attrw-scheme.
2. Enter your CNIC number without dashes.
3. Type the CAPTCHA code shown on the screen.
4. Press Submit to see whether you were selected.

This is only a status check for women who already applied. No new applications are open in this phase, so ignore anyone who asks for a fee or offers to "add" your name to the list. Government schemes do not charge for selection.

What happens next

Selected women will be told where and when to collect their animals once distribution starts on 21 October. Keep your original CNIC with you, and make sure the SIM registered to your name is working, since messages from the department go to that number. If your CNIC is close to expiry, renew it first; our NADRA fee calculator helps if your CNIC needs renewing first.