PSPA programs are the Punjab government’s own welfare schemes, run by the Punjab Social Protection Authority. Many families know about BISP and have never heard of PSPA, even though it supports millions of people in Punjab. This guide explains what it does and lists every program it runs.
The authority’s website is pspa.punjab.gov.pk, and the social protection helpline is 1221.
What PSPA is
The Punjab Social Protection Authority is the provincial body that designs and delivers Punjab’s social welfare programs. It sits alongside the federal Benazir Income Support Programme, not underneath it.
That distinction matters in practice:
- BISP is federal, covers all of Pakistan, and draws on the NSER survey
- PSPA is provincial, covers Punjab, and runs programs the federal system does not
Some households qualify for both. Some qualify for one and not the other. Being turned down by 8171 does not mean Punjab has nothing for you, which is exactly the gap this page exists to close.
Every PSPA program
| Program | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Aaghosh | Pregnant and nursing mothers, children up to two |
| Zewar-e-Taleem | Girls in classes 6 to 10 in government schools |
| Humqadam | Persons with disabilities |
| Ba-Himmat Buzurg | Elderly people, a social pension |
| Khud Mukhtar | Young married couples from BISP households |
| Income Generation Scheme for PWDs | Persons with disabilities starting a business |
| Sila-e-Fun | Elderly and low-income artists and writers |
| Bunyad | Community development |
| Masawaat | Gender equality initiative |
| Nayee Zindagi | Rehabilitation and reintegration |
| PSER | The Punjab household registry that feeds the rest |
The programs most families should check
Aaghosh, for mothers and babies
Conditional cash support from pregnancy until the child turns two, paid in stages as you complete health steps such as antenatal check-ups, delivery at a facility, and immunisation. Reported at up to about Rs 23,000 in total.
Read our Aaghosh program guide.
Zewar-e-Taleem, for girls in school
A stipend for girls in classes 6 to 10 in government schools in selected low-literacy districts, paid while attendance holds up. Reported at Rs 1,000 a month, generally disbursed quarterly.
Read our Zewar-e-Taleem guide.
Humqadam, for persons with disabilities
Monthly cash assistance of Rs 2,000, paid through branchless banking, for persons with disabilities with a PMT score of 30 or less and a special CNIC or B-Form from NADRA.
Read our Humqadam program guide.
Ba-Himmat Buzurg, for the elderly
A social pension for poor elderly people, aimed at those 65 and above who fall outside pension systems. Reported at Rs 2,000 a month, with priority to elderly women in households not covered by BISP.
Read our Ba-Himmat Buzurg guide.
Khud Mukhtar, for young couples
Productive assets worth up to Rs 150,000 — livestock, tools, or business equipment — for married couples aged 18 to 35 from BISP beneficiary households, after completing Labor Market Readiness training.
Read our Khud Mukhtar guide.
Income Generation Scheme, for persons with disabilities
Interest-free loans from Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000 so persons with disabilities can start a small enterprise, administered with Akhuwat and the Punjab Small Industries Corporation.
Read our PWD income generation guide.
Sila-e-Fun, for artists
Rs 5,000 a month for elderly and low-income artists, writers, poets and media persons who are 50 or older, earning under Rs 35,000 a month, with at least 25 years in their field. It runs in all 36 districts.
Read our Sila-e-Fun guide.
The one thing that unlocks most of them
Several PSPA programs use the PMT poverty score, calculated from household survey data rather than from anything you write on a form.
So the practical first step for most families is making sure the survey data exists and is current:
- For Punjab programs, complete your PSER registration
- For federal programs, get registered in NSER at a BISP Tehsil Office
If your household was never surveyed, you usually have no score at all, and programs simply cannot see you. Our PMT score guide explains how the scoring works and why you cannot look the number up.
How to apply
There is no single application form covering all PSPA programs. Each has its own route, and this is where people waste time hunting for a website that does not exist:
| Program | Where to start |
|---|---|
| Aaghosh | A government health facility in a covered district |
| Zewar-e-Taleem | Your daughter’s government school |
| Humqadam | Survey data plus NADRA disability documentation |
| Ba-Himmat Buzurg | Verification against survey data, helpline 1221 |
| Khud Mukhtar | BISP household status plus LMR training |
| Income Generation Scheme | Through the scheme’s service provider |
| Sila-e-Fun | Contact PSPA directly |
When in doubt, call 1221 and ask about your specific program rather than assuming an online form exists.
Contact details
- Website: pspa.punjab.gov.pk
- Social protection helpline: 1221
- Phone: 042-99231758
- Email: info@pspa.punjab.gov.pk
How PSPA programs differ from card schemes
Punjab runs two kinds of support, and people mix them up constantly.
Card schemes such as the Himmat Card, Kisan Card and Sehat Card give you a card, usually have their own portal, and you apply directly. You can see the application happening.
PSPA programs mostly work the other way round. There is often no card and no public form. Selection happens from survey data you already provided, and the first you hear of it may be a payment or an SMS.
That difference explains the most common frustration with PSPA: people search for an application page, find nothing, and assume the program is fake or closed. It is neither. The application already happened when your household was surveyed.
What to do if you think you qualify but hear nothing
Work through this in order rather than calling repeatedly:
- Confirm the program covers your district. Aaghosh and Zewar-e-Taleem are district-limited. Sila-e-Fun covers all 36.
- Check your survey record exists and is current. This is the usual blocker.
- Check the specific document the program needs, such as a special CNIC for Humqadam.
- Confirm your CNIC is valid and your mobile number is registered on your own CNIC.
- Then call 1221 with your specific program named.
Registration is free
Every PSPA program is free to apply for. Nobody, including an agent or someone claiming to be an official, can:
- Charge you to register
- Change your PMT score
- Add your name to a list for a fee
Never share an OTP with anyone. If someone demands money, report it through the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal.
Also worth checking
Punjab runs other card schemes outside PSPA that many of the same households qualify for:
- Himmat Card for persons with disabilities
- Kisan Card for farmers
- Sehat Card for hospital treatment
- Benazir Kafaalat on the federal side
To see which Punjab and federal programs your household may qualify for, try our free eligibility checker.
GoPunjab is an independent information website. We are not PSPA, cannot enrol you in any program, see your record, or release a payment. We only explain how the official process works.