The Punjab government has decided to allocate Rs150 million as a Christmas grant for deserving Christian families, increasing the amount per family to Rs15,000.
According to a 24NewsHD TV Channel report, the grant budget was raised from Rs50 million to Rs150 million, enabling 10,000 families to benefit from this initiative.
Chief Minister Punjab has instructed district administrations to ensure the smooth distribution of grants to eligible Christian families.
The process will commence following the Punjab Cabinet's approval, with district administrations verifying data and sending it to the Cabinet for finalisation.
Highlighting the government’s inclusive approach, Minorities Leader Sardar Ramesh Singh Arora shared that, for the first time in history, the Punjab government distributed Rs15,000 per family among 1,400 Hindu families during Diwali, with a total grant of Rs21 million. This marked a departure from previous years when no grants were allocated for Diwali. The initiative followed special instructions from Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif.
Arora also revealed that the grant for Sikh families on Baba Guru Nanak’s birth anniversary has been increased. Previously, grants were provided to 300 families, but now the number has risen to 800, with each family receiving Rs15,000.
Reporter: Rao Dilshad Hussain