The Punjab Government of India, led by Chief Minister S Bhagwant Mann, aims to support farmers and promote agricultural diversification by expanding the fish farming area from the current 16,812 hectares to 20,000 hectares. This expansion is expected to boost fish production to 2,00,000 tons.
The announcement was made by Punjab Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian on the occasion of “National Fish Farmers Day,” which commemorates the pioneering work of Professor Dr. K.H. Alikunhi and Dr. Hiralal Chaudhury, who successfully induced breeding of carp fish in the country for the first time on July 10, 1957.
In the coming years, the government plans to increase fish seed production from 200 million to 250 million, further supporting the growth of the sector. Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian urged farmers to adopt fish farming as a means to augment their income, noting that 366 beneficiaries have already received a subsidy of Rs. 200 million or US $2.44 million for various projects under the PMMSY Scheme.
The government has taken significant steps to develop the fisheries sector in the state. It has provided subsidies for an insulated van used for fish transportation and established the first private sector mini fish feed mill in Jalandhar district, also with the provision of a subsidy. Additionally, there are 15 Government Fish Seed Farms, 11 fish feed mills, and 7 soil-water testing laboratories in the state to facilitate fish farmers.
The government is actively promoting fish and shrimp farming through free training programs. Subsidies ranging from 40% to 60% are being offered for various fisheries sector projects, such as new fish and shrimp ponds, re-circulatory aquaculture systems, bio-floc culture systems, fish shops, fish transportation vehicles, and cold storage facilities. These initiatives aim to create self-employment opportunities for the younger generation.
In saline-affected districts, special efforts are being made to develop shrimp farming on a large scale. The Demonstration Farm-cum-Training Center in Village Ena Khera, Sri Muktsar Sahib district, provides facilities and support to shrimp farmers. The area under shrimp farming in the state has already surpassed 1200 acres, and the government is determined to increase it to over 5,000 acres within the next five years.
