Punjab Social Protection Authority Programmes: All 10 Schemes, Cash Amounts and Who Qualifies
All 10 Punjab Social Protection Authority programmes: Humqadam, Sila-e-Fun, Zewar-e-Taleem, Aaghosh, Masawaat and more, with amounts and who qualifies.
The Punjab Social Protection Authority (PSPA) runs 10 programmes: monthly cash of Rs 1,000 to Rs 5,000 for disabled people, schoolgirls, elderly artists and transgender persons, up to Rs 38,000 for mothers, assets up to Rs 150,000 for young BISP couples, interest-free loans, free early classes and the Punjab household registry. To check whether your household qualifies, call the PSPA helpline 1221, open 24 hours.
PSPA is a Punjab government body set up under the Punjab Social Protection Authority Act 2015. It works under the Planning and Development Board. Its programmes are separate from BISP, the federal programme, though some use BISP's data to pick families. We read the PSPA website, programme by programme, on 4 November 2026. Here is each one, what it pays and who can get it.
All 10 PSPA programmes at a glance
Four programmes pay monthly cash, two pay larger amounts tied to steps you complete, two give interest-free loans, one runs early childhood classes, and one is the Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER) that decides who is eligible for most provincial help.
| Programme | For whom | What it gives |
|---|---|---|
| Humqadam | Poor persons with disabilities | Rs 2,000 a month |
| Zewar-e-Taleem | Girls in grades 6 to 10, government schools, 17 districts | Rs 1,000 a month, paid quarterly |
| Sila-e-Fun | Needy artists, writers and media persons over 50 | Rs 5,000 a month |
| Masawaat | Transgender persons | Rs 3,000 a month (elderly), Rs 2,000 (disabled), loans up to Rs 100,000 |
| Aaghosh | Pregnant women and mothers of under-twos, 13 districts | Up to Rs 38,000 across health visits |
| Khud Mukhtar | BISP married couples aged 18 to 35 | Productive assets up to Rs 150,000 plus training |
| Income Generation for PWDs | Persons with disabilities | Interest-free loans, about Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000 |
| Nayee Zindagi | Acid attack survivors | Surgery, counselling, skills training, interest-free loans |
| Bunyad | Children aged 3 to 5, 13 districts | Free early childhood classes |
| PSER | Every household in Punjab | The registry and poverty score used to pick families |
Four programmes pay monthly cash
Humqadam, Zewar-e-Taleem, Sila-e-Fun and Masawaat pay a fixed amount every month. Sila-e-Fun pays the most, Rs 5,000. Each has its own test: a disability card, school attendance, years in the arts or registration as a transgender person.
- Humqadam, Rs 2,000 a month. You need a special CNIC or B-Form from NADRA for disability, and a BISP poverty score (PMT) of 30 or less. It runs in every district. See our Humqadam guide.
- Zewar-e-Taleem, Rs 1,000 a month. For girls in grades 6 to 10 of government schools in 17 districts, including Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Muzaffargarh and Rahim Yar Khan. It is paid quarterly once the school reports 80 per cent attendance. See our Zewar-e-Taleem district list.
- Sila-e-Fun, Rs 5,000 a month. For artists, writers, poets and media persons over 50, with 25 years in their field and monthly income below Rs 35,000. All 36 districts. See our Sila-e-Fun guide.
- Masawaat, Rs 3,000 or Rs 2,000 a month. Rs 3,000 for elderly and Rs 2,000 for disabled transgender persons, cashed at HBL Konnect, Alfa Pay or UBL Omni agents. Registered transgender persons can also get interest-free loans up to Rs 100,000.
Two programmes pay larger sums for completing steps
Aaghosh pays mothers up to Rs 38,000 in parts for health visits. Khud Mukhtar gives young BISP couples assets worth up to Rs 150,000 once they finish a training course. Both reward a step taken, not just need.
Aaghosh covers pregnant women and mothers of children under two in 13 districts: Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Bhakkar, DG Khan, Taunsa, Khushab, Kot Addu, Layyah, Lodhran, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur. Lady Health Visitors register you at a BHU or RHC. Payments include Rs 2,000 on registration, Rs 3,000 for each of four antenatal visits and Rs 10,000 for delivery at a government facility. PSPA says it pays through JazzCash agents after biometric checks, with no fee. Full breakdown in our Aaghosh guide.
Khud Mukhtar is for married couples aged 18 to 35 from BISP beneficiary households. After Labour Market Readiness training on business and money skills, they get productive assets such as livestock, farm tools or shop equipment worth up to Rs 150,000.
Interest-free loans and rehabilitation
PSPA funds interest-free loans for persons with disabilities through the Punjab Small Industries Corporation (PSIC), with Akhuwat running them. Loans average Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000. PSPA says Rs 270 million has been lent since 2017, with full recovery.
Our guide on interest-free loans for disabled persons in Punjab shows how to apply. Nayee Zindagi helps acid attack survivors with reconstructive surgery, psychological counselling, skills training and interest-free loans, with treatment paid by the government. PSPA's page does not give an application route, so call 1221 for it.
Bunyad is different again. It runs early childhood care and education classrooms for children aged 3 to 5 in government schools across 13 districts, with the School Education Department.
PSER decides who qualifies for most Punjab help
The Punjab Socio-Economic Registry (PSER) is a database of households in Punjab, built through a door-to-door survey that began on 23 April 2025. It gives each family a Proxy Means Test (PMT) score, which Punjab programmes use to pick the poorest families.
If you were missed in the survey, or your circumstances changed, your score may be wrong, and that can keep you out of schemes. Here is how to check:
- Open the PSER page on the PSPA website, or call 1221.
- Enter your CNIC in the online eligibility check.
- See whether your household is registered and eligible.
- If it is not registered, ask 1221 how to get surveyed.
- If your details are wrong, register a complaint on 1221.
Our step-by-step page on the PSER eligibility check covers this in more detail.
Common questions
What is the PSPA helpline number?
1221. PSPA says it runs 24 hours for eligibility questions, complaints and cash-out agent details.
Which PSPA programme pays the most each month?
Sila-e-Fun, at Rs 5,000 a month for needy artists and writers over 50 with 25 years in their field.
Do I need a special CNIC for Humqadam?
Yes. You need NADRA's special CNIC or B-Form for disability, and a BISP poverty score of 30 or less.
Is PSPA the same as BISP?
No. PSPA is a Punjab government body. BISP is federal. Some PSPA programmes use BISP data to pick families.
How do I check my eligibility for Punjab welfare schemes?
Use the PSER online eligibility check with your CNIC, or call 1221.
How we verified this
What we checked, where we read it, and what we could not confirm.
Last checked 4 November 2026. We read the Punjab Social Protection Authority website and its pages on Humqadam, Zewar-e-Taleem, Sila-e-Fun, Masawaat, Aaghosh, Khud Mukhtar, Income Generation for PWDs, Nayee Zindagi, Bunyad and PSER. The pages are not dated, so amounts may have changed since they were written. PSPA's office number on its site is 042-99231758.
About the author
Public Services and Education Journalist
Fajr Riaz is a journalist and content writer at Pakistan Era, based in Lahore. She covers the questions people meet in everyday life in Pakistan: how a public service works, what a change in the rules means, and where to find a reliable answer.
