Fish farming subsidy extended to all dists

Tribune News Service

Moga, July 6

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said the state government had announced 50 per cent subsidy on fish farming for all districts.

He said earlier, the subsidy had been provided to only those districts which faced severe waterlogging problems.

District Magistrate, Moga, Parminder Singh Gill said farmers having one acre of land under fish farming would get Rs 60,000 for digging as per the norms of the department.

He said Rs 20,000 would be given for feed purposes and Rs 18,000 to purchase aerator for increasing the amount of oxygen in water.

Meanwhile, the state government today started a five-day training course on fish farming in various districts.

The move is aimed at encouraging small and marginal farmers to adopt it as an allied profession for raising their socio-economic status.

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development Minister Gulzar Singh Ranike said the training course had begun at dairy training and extension centres at Gill village (Moga district), Abul Khurana (Muktsar), Katli (Rupnagar), Faggan Majra-Bagria (Fatehgarh Sahib), Sardulgarh (Mansa district), Hyat Nagar (Gurdaspur), Sangrur, Malwal (Ferozepur), Amritsar, Dhandua (Nawanshahr), Bir Shikargah Kanjhli (Kapurthala) and Hariana (Hoshiarpur district). Eminent national experts would guide participants during the course, he said.

The minister said a fish farming venture could help earn huge profits if it is run on professional lines, from the initial stage to the marketing stage.

He said fish farmers who would successfully complete the course would be provided financial assistance and subsidy by the fisheries department.

He said those interested in adopting the venture could contact the fisheries department at any of the district headquarters.