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, as of September 2026.
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 was set up under a 2015 Punjab law and works under the Punjab Planning and Development Board. 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, and children under two, in 13 districts |
| Zewar-e-Taleem | Girls in classes 6 to 10 in government schools in selected districts |
| Humqadam | Poor persons with disabilities |
| Ba-Himmat Buzurg | Poor elderly people aged 65 and above; ask 1221 whether new names are added |
| Khud Mukhtar | Young married couples from BISP households in 13 districts |
| Income Generation Scheme for PWDs | Persons with disabilities starting a small business |
| Sila-e-Fun | Elderly and needy artists, writers and media persons |
| Masawaat | Transgender persons: cash support, loans and medical camps |
| Nayee Zindagi | Acid attack survivors: treatment and rehabilitation |
| Bunyad | Early learning classes for children aged 3 to 5 in 13 districts |
| PSER | The Punjab household registry that gives families a PMT score |
The programs most families should check
The amounts below are as PSPA lists them in September 2026. Amounts are policy decisions and can change, so confirm the current figure on 1221 before you rely on it.
Aaghosh, for mothers and babies
Conditional cash support from pregnancy until the child turns two. PSPA lists up to Rs 38,000 in total, paid in stages as you complete health steps. For example, you get Rs 2,000 when a Lady Health Visitor registers you at a BHU or RHC, Rs 3,000 for each of four antenatal visits, and Rs 10,000 for a safe delivery at a government health facility. The rest is paid for the newborn check-up, two measles vaccinations and adding the child’s birth registration number.
The total was raised from Rs 23,000 in 2025, so older figures you may see are out of date. Aaghosh runs in 13 districts: Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar, Bhakkar, Dera Ghazi Khan, Taunsa, Khushab, Kot Addu, Layyah, Lodhran, Mianwali, Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur.
Read our Aaghosh program guide.
Zewar-e-Taleem, for girls in school
A stipend of Rs 1,000 a month for girls in classes 6 to 10 in government schools in selected low-literacy districts, such as Bahawalpur, Dera Ghazi Khan, Jhang, Kasur, Muzaffargarh, Okara and Rajanpur. PSPA pays it every three months, after the School Education Department confirms at least 80% attendance. A girl leaves the program when she finishes class 10 or drops out of school.
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 in NSER and a special CNIC or B-Form from NADRA. It covers every district of Punjab.
Read our Humqadam program guide.
Ba-Himmat Buzurg, for the elderly
A social pension for poor elderly people aged 65 and above who fall outside pension systems. When it launched in November 2020, it was reported at Rs 2,000 a month, with a focus on elderly women in families not eligible for BISP. We could not confirm the current amount. As of September 2026, the program’s own page on the PSPA website was not available, although the homepage still shows it with about 80,000 beneficiaries. Ask on 1221 whether new names are being added.
Read our Ba-Himmat Buzurg guide.
Khud Mukhtar, for young couples
Productive assets worth up to Rs 150,000, such as livestock, farm tools or small business equipment, for married couples aged 18 to 35 from BISP beneficiary households, after completing Labor Market Readiness training.
Khud Mukhtar does not cover all of Punjab. It is part of the Punjab Human Capital Investment Project, which PSPA runs with World Bank support, and the project website lists the same 13 districts as Aaghosh. That project was planned to run from 2020 to 2026, and the World Bank moved its closing date to 30 June 2026. As of September 2026, PSPA’s website still lists Khud Mukhtar, but we found no official announcement of a new round of selection after that date. Call 1221 to ask whether it is still selecting couples in your district.
Read our Khud Mukhtar guide.
Income Generation Scheme, for persons with disabilities
Interest-free loans of about Rs 25,000 to Rs 100,000 so persons with disabilities can start a small enterprise. The Punjab Small Industries Corporation manages the funds and Akhuwat runs the scheme. PSPA reports a 100% recovery rate, so remember this is a loan you repay, not a grant.
Read our PWD income generation guide.
Sila-e-Fun, for artists
Rs 5,000 a month for elderly and needy artists, writers, poets and media persons who are over 50, earn under Rs 35,000 a month, and have at least 25 years in their field, such as film, TV, literature, journalism, theatre, music or painting. It runs in all 36 districts and has no PMT test.
Read our Sila-e-Fun guide.
Masawaat and Nayee Zindagi
Masawaat supports transgender persons. PSPA lists Rs 3,000 a month for elderly transgender persons, Rs 2,000 a month for transgender persons with disabilities, interest-free business loans of up to Rs 100,000, and free medical camps.
Nayee Zindagi helps acid attack survivors with treatment such as skin grafting and reconstructive surgery, counselling, skills training and interest-free loans. For either program, call 1221 and ask how to be referred.
Which programs use the PMT score
Only some PSPA programs select families by the PMT poverty score, which is calculated from household survey data rather than from anything you write on a form. The official program pages show this split:
- Humqadam needs an NSER PMT score of 30 or less
- Khud Mukhtar needs a BISP beneficiary household, which is found through NSER
- Aaghosh depends on your district and registration at a health facility
- Zewar-e-Taleem depends on your daughter’s government school and attendance
- Sila-e-Fun depends on your age, income and years in your field
Punjab is also building its own registry, PSER, which PSPA says produces a PMT score to identify and prioritise families for welfare programs. So even where a program does not use a score today, keeping your survey data current is a sensible first step:
- 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, programs that rely on a score 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 Lady Health Visitor at a BHU or RHC in a covered district |
| Zewar-e-Taleem | Your daughter’s government school |
| Humqadam | NSER survey record plus a special CNIC from NADRA |
| Ba-Himmat Buzurg | Ask the helpline 1221 |
| Khud Mukhtar | BISP household status plus LMR training, in the 13 covered districts; ask 1221 whether selection continues |
| Income Generation Scheme | Akhuwat, the scheme’s service provider |
| Sila-e-Fun | Contact PSPA directly |
| Masawaat, Nayee Zindagi | Contact PSPA or call 1221 |
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 (24 hours)
- Phone: 042-99231758
- Email: info@pspa.punjab.gov.pk
- Aaghosh payments: JazzCash helpline 051-111-124-444
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 Rehmat 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 often happens from records the government already holds, such as your survey data, your daughter’s school attendance or your registration at a health facility. 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. Usually it is neither. The application happens through the survey, the school or the health facility instead.
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, Khud Mukhtar and Zewar-e-Taleem are district-limited. Humqadam and Sila-e-Fun cover the whole province.
- Check your survey record exists and is current. This is the usual blocker for Humqadam and Khud Mukhtar.
- 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
When you collect a payment, such as Aaghosh money from a JazzCash agent, PSPA says you should get the full amount after biometric verification, with no fee or deduction. Never share an OTP with anyone. If someone demands money or cuts your payment, report it on 1221 or through the Pakistan Citizen’s Portal.
Related support
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.