Tripat Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development Minister, Punjab handed over appointment letters to 14 newly selected Fisheries Officers here at today.On this occasion Mr. Bajwa urged the new Fisheries Officers to perform their services in the department with full energy and dedication. He said that special measures have been taken by the government to provide employment to the youth.The Minister said that under the guidance of Hon'ble Chief Minister Punjab Charanjit Singh Channi, the Fisheries Department is doing a great job for the welfare of the farmers in state. In the last five years, considerable efforts are being made to increase the income of farmers in the areas affected by water-logging and salinity. Shrimp farming is being specially promoted in these areas; with this the farmers are getting net income of Rs. 3 lakh per acre area.This financial year 2021-22, about 850 acres have been brought under shrimp farming in Punjab. Shrimp farming will be promoted in an area of 5,000 acres in the next 5 years. For the development of shrimp farming, a Training-cum-Demonstration Unit has been set up by the government at village Ina-khera, block Malout, District Sri Muktsar Sahib. Shrimp farmers are being provided free training and soil and water testing facility at this center, he added.
Mr. Bajwa Said that a new Government Fish Seed Farm has been set up at village Alisher Khurd, District Mansa to provide quality fish seed to the farmers at subsidized rates. On the same lines a new Government Fish Seed Farm is being set up at village Killawali, District Fazilka. This Fish Seed Farm will be dedicated to the people of Punjab in the year 2022. Under PMMSY scheme, various projects of Rs. 45.82 crore were being implemented by the government under Fisheries Sector. This will give a great impetus to fish farming in the state. Another new wholesale-cum-retail fish market is being set up at Patiala for better marketing of fish produce. Six state-of-the-art labs have been set up at various Govt. Fish seed Farms to provide soil-water sample analysis facility to the fish farmers.For the first time in Punjab, transport vehicles such as bicycles, motorbikes, auto rickshaws, insulated and refrigerator vehicles are being provided to the youth on subsidy basis for fish logistic facility to generate employment opportunities. Apart from this advanced fisheries techniques such as Re-circulatory Aquaculture System (RAS) and Bio-floc technology have been introduced in Punjab. With the help of these techniques, large quantity of fish can be produced in a very small area. The government is providing financial assistance for the adoption of these techniques, he added.