Haryana fish production growth rate reaches 14.4 per cent

Chandigarh, Jan 15 (UNI) The fish production growth rate in Haryana has risen to 14.4 per cent from 9.5 per cent in 2005, Haryana Fisheries Minister H S Chatha said here today.

A total of 7795 acres of water-logged land of the state has been converted into a fish culture pond over a period of last two years and the untapped water resources were being utilised for the benefit of the fish farmers, he said.

The minister added that the overall fish productivity has increased by 365 kg per hectare. per year, subsequently increasing the income of the farmers by Rs 11,000 per hectare per year.

Mr Chatha also said that provisions has been made to provide financial assistance to the tune of 80,000 per unit, to the farmers with agriculture, horticulture, dairying, poultry, piggery and duckery. He further added that 100 percent assistance had been provided to farmers for the adoption of polyculture.

A sewage-fed fish farm has been established at Guhla-Cheeka. In addition to this, two fish hatcheries have been set up Badkhal (Faridabad) and Saidpura (Karnal), 20 fish health care centers, 14 aquatic poly-clinics and a diagnostic lab has been established.

The minister stated that awareness camps and study tours of fish farmers were being arranged to adjoining states. And to encourage this trend, the best fish producer, fish seed producer, prawn producer were rewarded annually.

He said that to meet the requirements of fish farmers, the government had reduced the tariff from Rs 4.29 to Rs 2.00 per unit.

It had also waived the VAT on fish feed for the farmers' benefit, he added.

UNI JN AK KP2029