Punjab to modernize fish seed farms

Chandigarh, Apr 18 (UNI) In an attempt to give further impetus to inland fisheries in the state, the Punjab government has released a sum of Rs 34 lakh to modernize the fish seed farms, Animal husbandry and fisheries minister Jagmohan Singh kang today said.

During the last financial year, the government had laid emphasis on encouraging fish farming in dams. wetlands and lakes and for this an amount of Rs 18 lakh was spent, he added.

The state government has also taken a decision to develop all village pounds as fish farms, Mr Kang said, adding that as many as 500 villages of district Hoshiarpur have been taken up under this scheme where Rs 3.5 crore were being spent for the up-gradation of village ponds as fish farms. Panchayats of the villages concerned would give these ponds on contractual basis to the unemployed youth for developing fish farms.

As part of this scheme, the panchayats would collect revenue for the development of villages and 500 unemployed would get direct employment and another 3000 indirect employment. The Minister also said that approximately Rs 78 lakh were being spent on introducing latest technology in the field of fish farming and developing fish seed farms in Hoshiarpur district.

Mr Kang has urged the farmers of the state to adopt fish farming instead of following the traditional crop pattern to enhance their earnings.

He said that after the success of the ''Green and White Revolutions'' the state was committed for a blue revolution and an amount of Rs 7.5 crore has been allocated for fish farming for the year 2006-07 as compared to Rs 2.15 crore in the previous financial year.

UNI HS VD RAI1450