Cattle for widows in Gujrat’s rural areas

GUJRAT: As many as 1,000 widows will get free-of-cost cattle such as buffaloes, cows and sheep under a special scheme of the Punjab government.

Punjab Minister for Housing Malik Tanveer Aslam gave cattle to 250 widows at a ceremony at the Zahoor Elahi cricket stadium on Tuesday.

Dr Ghulam Muhammad Gill, the director livestock, said the scheme was meant to alleviate poverty and the chief minister had approved the distribution of at least 500 big and 1,000 small animals in Gujrat to widows from rural areas who have less than an acre of agricultural land and whose children are getting education in schools.

In the first phase, some 150 women were given buffaloes and cows and 100 women were given two sheep each.

Earlier, speaking on the occasion, the minister announced launch of a Rescue 9211 service for the emergency treatment of the sick animals on the pattern of the Rescue 1122. Officials of livestock department having motorbikes would immediately respond by reaching the required location for treatment of the animals.

He said 18,000 big and 36,000 small animals would be distributed among the widows of rural areas under the programme.

Published in Dawn, April 22nd, 2015

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