Una - To increase the income of farmers, various schemes are being implemented by the state government to promote animal husbandry as well as fisheries so that farmers/fishermen can get economic benefits from fish farming business. There is immense potential for fish farming business in Una district, which is proving to be quite profitable for the people of the district. Farming farmers are also becoming self-reliant by strengthening their economy by adopting fishing business.
Reshma Devi of village Chowki Manyar of Bangana block of Una district created means of self-employment for herself and her family by adopting fish farming business.
Reshma Devi tells that she used to do tailoring work and her husband did farming work to support the family. He said that it was difficult to meet the household expenses through sewing and farming work. He thought of doing something new to increase the family income. Since he had sufficient land in the village, he decided to start a fish farming business, for which he contacted the officials of the Fisheries Department. Reshma Devi told that the officials of the Fisheries Department gave her complete information about fish farming business and told that the government will also provide financial assistance for fish farming.
Reshma Devi started fish farming in a small unit of 600 square meters in the year 2018-19. There was good production of fish from this unit. Keeping this in mind, he applied to build a biofloc (pond) of one thousand square meters under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana in the year 2021. The total cost of one thousand square meter biofloc (pond) was Rs 14 lakh. For preparing this biofloc, Reshma Devi received 60 percent i.e. Rs 8.40 lakh as subsidy from the department and spent the remaining 40 percent herself.
Reshma Devi told that her husband is fully supporting her to take this business forward. He told that last year he had sown seeds of Common Carp, Moon Carp, Silver Carp, Mrigal Carp and Grass Carp in the pond due to which he produced 7 tonnes of fish and earned an income of Rs 10 lakh. Reshma Devi's husband Subhash Chand told that at present also seeds of common carp, moon carp, silver carp, mrigal carp and grass carp have been sown. He told that within a span of four to six months, the fish thrown into the pond have reached a weight of about 300 to 500 grams.
Reshma Devi and Subhash Chand urged the unemployed/educated youth that they can also create means of self-employment for themselves by taking advantage of the schemes being run by the government in the animal husbandry and fisheries sector.
At present 315 people from the district have adopted fish farming business.
Assistant Director Fisheries Vivek Sharma said that Reshma Devi has been provided 60 percent grant amount for building biofloc pond under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana. He said that grant amount is provided at the rate of 60 percent for SC category and women and 40 percent for general category. He informed that biofloc ponds are used for intensive fish production. Whereas in a raw pond of 1 thousand square meter, hardly only 10 quintals of fish can be produced. But about 10 tons of fish can be produced annually from a biofloc pond. He told that after some time the water used for fish production has to be changed. Because the water gets spoiled due to the excreta and urine of fish. But farmers can use this water in their fields which acts as a fertilizer. He told that the consumption of common water for irrigation in the fields is more whereas the water used for fish farming is less, remains in the fields for a longer time and the production of crops is also higher.
While calling upon the farmers, he said that any farmer who wants to adopt fish farming business can avail benefits under government schemes. He told that if the farmers need fish fry and feed for fish farming, then they can easily buy them at government prices from the government fish farm of the department, Deoli, which is located in Gagret sub-division.
Vivek Sharma said that at present 315 farmers from Una district are getting good profits by joining fish farming business and are also getting good yields from their fields. He said that this year new ponds are being constructed on about 6 hectares of land in the district for new fish farming. He said that if a farmer wants to construct a raw pond, he can avail the benefits of government schemes by applying in the divisional offices of the Fisheries Department. He said that a fish feed mill is also being established in Dioli which will prove to be very beneficial for the fish farmers.