Punjab Government Increases Minority Cards Quota to 75,000

In a major step towards supporting religious minorities, Provincial Minister for Minorities Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora announced on Thursday that the quota for Minority Cards has been raised from 50,000 to 75,000.

The announcement came during a Minority Cards Steering Committee meeting. Officials reported that over 40,000 minority families have already received benefits through the initiative during the first phase.

Minister Arora confirmed that preparations for the second phase are currently underway and aimed at reaching more deserving families. He emphasized that helping religious minorities is part of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s vision for an inclusive and supportive province.

During the meeting, Arora also directed officials to develop a digital application to collect and manage accurate data on religious minorities. This digital shift will help improve transparency and ensure better delivery of services.

“The welfare of minority communities is a top priority for the Punjab government,” Arora stated. He instructed all deputy commissioners to complete the card distribution process within five days. Additionally, he ordered relevant commissioners to resolve all pending cases immediately without delay.

The meeting was also attended by key officials, including Secretary Human Rights Rai Ali Bahadur Qazi, Additional Secretary Rizwana Naveed, and representatives from related departments.

This initiative aims to provide better access to welfare schemes, healthcare, education, and emergency support for minority communities across Punjab.