The Punjab Information Technology Board (PITB) and the Livestock and Dairy Development Department have signed a two-year extension agreement for the SPMS-9211 project to provide modern and efficient services to farmers across the province. Under the renewed agreement, the existing system will be transformed into a comprehensive digital governance platform aimed at improving transparency and service delivery in the livestock sector.
The signing ceremony was held at Arfa Tower in Lahore and was chaired by Provincial Minister for Livestock and Dairy Development Syed Ashiq Hussain Kirmani. Secretary Livestock Ahmed Aziz Tarar and PITB Chairman Faisal Yousaf, along with other senior officials, attended the event. The agreement was formally signed by Dr. Atiya Bukhari on behalf of the Livestock Department and Ata ur Rehman, Director Development and Procurement at PITB.
Speaking at the ceremony, Minister Kirmani said the project has been renewed with cabinet approval and now includes several reforms and technological upgrades. The new system will introduce live tracking of mobile veterinary dispensaries and provide complete track-and-trace facilities for vaccination and artificial insemination services. This will ensure that vaccines and semen doses are monitored from manufacturing to final use.
For the first time, a farmer feedback system will also be launched. Whenever field staff provide treatment, vaccination, or insemination services, farmers will be asked to share their feedback to confirm whether services were delivered according to official rates. The minister said this step will strengthen transparency and accountability in the department.
The digital platform will also allow live monitoring of nearly 1,000 interns working in the field. Through a mobile application, web portal, and USSD services, field operations will be managed in real time to ensure better oversight and improved service delivery.
The minister further stated that under the special directions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, billions of rupees are being invested in the livestock sector. A pilot project in ten districts is already providing high-quality semen at subsidized rates, and the initiative will be expanded province-wide in the next financial year. Premium breeds, including Brahman, are being offered to farmers at highly subsidized prices.
To promote advanced genetics, a modern plant has been established in Okara in collaboration with an internationally renowned company. For the first time, local production of sexed semen has begun in Punjab. Embryo transfer and modern breeding technologies are also being promoted to significantly improve milk and meat production.
The government is also expanding the establishment of disease-free compartments in Punjab. Previously, only one such compartment existed, but approval has been granted for eight more, which is expected to boost exports, improve genetics, and promote safe livestock farming.
Highlighting efforts to control Lumpy Skin Disease, the minister said the government took timely action by developing a local vaccine, effectively controlling the spread of the disease. The availability of vaccines and the implementation of a ring vaccination strategy helped prevent large-scale losses.
PITB Chairman Faisal Yousaf said the upgraded digital system will enable data-driven decision-making, effective policymaking, and transparent monitoring. He added that the platform will lay a strong foundation for digital governance in Punjab’s livestock sector.
The project aims to increase milk and meat production, improve livestock breeds, prevent diseases, and provide farmers with timely, transparent, and efficient services, putting Punjab’s livestock sector on a path of sustainable growth.
Source - https://minutemirror.com.pk
