In a move aimed at encouraging fish farming in the state, the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today gave nod for setting up state-of-the art Fish feed factory in the state to provide nourishment enriched quality feed to fish in the aqua farms. A decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Minister after detailed deliberations with the top management of the modern fish feed factory in Wuxi on Wednesday. During his visit to the factory the Chief Minister was apprised by the experts that the entire operation in this ultra modern factory was controlled by single computerised control station thereby minimising the need for labour besides saving lot of time, money and energy. He was informed that this modern fish feed factory was equipped with the hi-end technology and machinery, in which the raw materials were fed from one side while the processed feed comes out of the other end thus preventing the chances of contamination in the feed. The experts at the factory also apprised Mr. Badal that the plant could produce different feed suitable for the various species of the fish adding that the feed was produced while keeping different stages of growth of fish in mind.
Evincing keen interest in the project that could prove to be a boon for promoting pisciculture in the state, the Chief Minister solicited the support of the Chinese experts in setting up this plant in the state. He said that the state government would bear all the expenses for setting up this plant in the state at a cost of Rs 10 crore (excluding the land cost), so that the Punjabi farmers could be immensely benefitted from it. Mr. Badal said that fishery could help in transforming the lives of Punjabi farmers in order to tide over the severe agrarian crisis due to the ever escalating input costs and lack of remunerative returns on their produce. He also hoped that this step would also give a much needed impetus to the state government's flagship program of crop persification.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by his Special Principal Secretary Mr. KJS Cheema, Financial Commissioner Animal Husbandry Mr. G Vajralingam, Advisor Fisheries to Punjab Government Dr. Padma Kumar, Assistant Director Fisheries, Kapurthala Mr. Raj Kumar, Dean College of Fisheries, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Science University, Ludhiana Dr. Asha Dhawan besides the progressive fish farmers of delegation.