LAHORE: The Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA) has in collaboration with the Livestock and Dairy Development department launched a programme of providing livestock to persons with disabilities (PWDs).

The PSPA had earlier launched Khidmat Card Programme, Elimination of Child Labour Project from Brick Kilns and Khadim-1Punjab Zevar-e-Taleem Programme.

Meant for the disabled women beneficiaries of the Khidmat Card Programme living in rural areas, the new scheme is a graduation programme which would exit the Khidmat Card beneficiaries from the monthly assistance programme of the provincial government andenable them to earn their living by means of the livestock being given to them under the Graduation and Asset Transfer Scheme for PWDs.

As many as 2,500 PWDs, who are Khidmat Card holders, would benefit from the scheme.

Female Khidmat Card beneficlaries between ages 35 and 55 are eligible for receiving this livestock transfer, subject to their ability to look after these animals, as well as their compliance with certain conditions, says a handout issued here on Saturday.

Finance Minister and PSPA`s Vice Chairperson Dr Aisha Ghaus Pasha said the intervention of the graduation scheme would positively impact the lives of the poorest disabled people and immediately lift them out of the poorest category. It would also give them a jump-start towards asustainable economic activity, critical for any viable graduation model of poverty alleviation.

The provincial government kickstarted the scheme from Kot Khizri Stadium,Wazirabad, where 60 lactating animals (40 buf faloes and 20 cows) were distributed among the eligible PWDs of the Gujranwala division, the statement said.

Livestock officials had completed documentation of the beneficiaries at their doorsteps before they were handed over the lactating animals by the Gujranwala commissioner.

Earlier, the PSPA board in its meetings held last year approved the graduation scheme for rural beneficiaries of Khidmat Card for PWDs from PSPA`s allocated funds available for 2016-17.

The livestock has been engagedfor professional support and execution of the project besides working as the fund manager for the Rs600 million scheme. This graduation scheme has been initiated for the productive inclusion of the rural PWDs. Another such programme aimed at providing soft loans to the urban PWDs is already under way through PSIC and Akhuwat.

According to the MoU signed between the PSPA and the livestock department, PSPA`s role is to identify potential beneficiaries from PWDs who are Khidmat Card holders and to develop an effective framework for impact assessment of the scheme.

The finance department had released Rs458.8 million funds for the scheme, following which the procurement of livestock was initiated.