According to the Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairy Development, the government is offering a 40% subsidy for adopting fish farming, and the farmers should make the most of the scheme.
While congratulating fish and shrimp farmers on World Fisheries Day, which is celebrated on November 21, Bhullar reiterated that the Punjab government was committed to offering all support necessary for taking up fish farming as a profession.
He stated that the state government, which is led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, is continuously making progress in the area of fishing, and he added that particular attention is being put on developing infrastructure for fish farming and increasing fish production in the state.
According to an official statement, 1,89,647 tonnes of fish are generated from fisheries on a total of 43,691 acres in Punjab.
In Punjab, shrimp farming is practiced on land that has experienced waterlogging and saline water, and it has been beneficial in increasing farmers' income. He claimed that 1,200 acres in total are being used for shrimp farming at the moment. He said that 15 government fish seed farms are currently in operation in Punjab and that a new government fish seed farm is being developed at village Killianwali in district Fazilka.
In addition, a government wholesale/retail fish market is open in Ludhiana, and a brand-new fish market is being constructed in Patiala and will open soon.
The Fisheries Minister added that the government has been giving beneficiaries a 40% subsidy on the overall cost of projects like creating additional ponds for fish and shrimp cultivation, installing a biofloc technology system, setting up fish feed mills, and buying fish transport vehicles, among other things.