Incentives given to fish farmers has paid dividends, helping the state attain the top slot in fish farming in the country, said chief parliamentary secretary (CPS) and state legislator from Sri Hargobindpur Des Raj Dhugga here on Sunday. Dhugga said 38,000 acres of land has been brought under fish farming in Punjab. He said the state has been producing 6.5 tonnes of fish per hectare, while the national average is 3 tonnes per hectare. Dhugga said the Punjab government, under its diversification programme in farming, is providing 90% subsidy for fish farming in wetland areas of the state and 50% in other areas. The CPS said the construction of fish mandis has been completed in Amritsar and Bathinda, and fish farmers and sellers will be allotted space at these mandis soon. Dhugga said the state government is setting up Regional Fish Farming Research Institute at Bathinda, which will be helpful in increasing the production of fish by using latest technology. He said the government has also sanctioned setting up of four laboratories for testing soil and water. First such laboratory is coming up at the Fish Seed Farm in Dhandua in SBS Nagar district.
2015 HT Media Limited