In a bid to drag farmers out of the wheat and paddy circle, the Punjab government has decided to give 20% subsidy on new fish ponds.
Animal husbandry, fishery and dairy development minister Gulzar Singh Ranike announced this here on Tuesday.
He said the state government had earmarked a budget of Rs 1,288 crore in the annual budget to finance various schemes of fish farming. He said that during 2006-07, the fish production was 6,000 kg per hectare, which increased to 6,560 kg per hectare in 2012-13.
Ranike said the government had been imparting a five-day basic training to fish farmers in each district. He said that for digging new fish ponds, 20% subsidy was being given to the farmers belonging to the general category and 25% to farmers belonging to the scheduled caste category.