Why in news:

• Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar has announced various government initiatives for farmers who are doing the fish farming business in the state including an advance subsidy scheme.

Key Points:

• The chief minister, while speaking at a workshop of shrimp farmers organised at Chormar Khera village of the Sirsa district, said the state government would give an advance subsidy to the farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) if there is any delay in the subsidy coming from the Central government.
• The benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana would be available for the next three years. It should be noted here that Shrimp is exported in large quantities from the region. This brings foreign exchange into the country, which is important for India’s economic growth.
• Therefore, the state government is continuously promoting the production of shrimp in saline land and waterlogged areas in Haryana. In the year 2014-15, the total area under shrimp farming was 70 acres and the total production was 140 MT (metric tonne) only, which has now increased to 1250 acres and the production has also increased to 2900 MT during the year 2021-22.
• Among other initiatives announced by the government, a testing lab related to fish farming business would be set up in Sirsa. This will directly benefit the local farmers who are in this business as earlier, the farmers of this district had to especially go to Rohtak for the lab testing facility.
• The chief minister also announced that a wholesale fish market would also be opened in either Jhajjar or Gurugram district for the purchase and sale of fish. This would ensure the economic progress of the farmers.
• Like the Kisan Credit Card, the government is also providing the facility of credit cards to fish farmers. Similarly, the government is also holding discussions with banks and insurance companies for providing insurance facilities for fisheries as well.
• It is pertinent to note here that power consumption is a big issue in fish farming. At present, the government is providing electricity at the rate of 4.75 per unit to the farmers whose consumption is 20 kilowatt. Fish farmers can also set up solar plants on their plots, for this a subsidy of Rs 20,000 per horsepower, with a maximum limit of Rs 2 lakh is being given to them.
• Among major initiatives in the sector, an Integrated Aqua Park (Centre of Excellence), at a cost of Rs 30 Crore would also be established in Garwa village in the Bhiwani district. This aqua park will be established on 25 acres. In this, new research related to fish farming, the new variety of fish farming, and research on seeds will be carried out. This will also directly benefit the farmers indulged in fish farming in the state.

• The major components of the project will include the following:

 a. Shrimp Larval Rearing Centre

b. Nursery Units

c. Rearing Units

d. Biofloc Units

e. Grow out ponds for demonstration

f. Aquatic Laboratory

g. Feed mill

h. Incubation centres

i. Training centre