Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said the provincial government is taking sustained and concrete measures to alleviate poverty through economic policies and public welfare initiatives. In a message on the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty, she said the government was empowering disadvantaged communities through targeted programmes rather than mere slogans. She cited initiatives such as Apni Chhat Apna Ghar, Parwaz Card, laptop and Honhaar Scholarship schemes to support low-income groups. She said women in rural areas were being provided with skills training and interest-free loans to help them achieve financial independence.
The chief minister said the provincial government was bearing the wedding expenses of deserving couples under the Dhee Rani Programme. Under the Apna Khet, Apna Rozgar scheme, thousands of acres of state land had been leased for 10 years to poor and landless rural residents. She said the scheme aimed to reduce rural poverty, increase agricultural production and address unemployment.
The chief minster said young people, women and skilled workers were also being provided loans on easy terms and at low markup rates to help them establish their own businesses.