Sirsa News: Shrimp farming will increase farmers income, Up to 60% subsidy on construction of new ponds

Sirsa: Under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), the government is providing subsidies to promote the construction of brackish and saline water fish and shrimp ponds. The objective of the scheme is to enhance the income of farmers and beneficiaries by expanding fisheries activities across rural, urban, and semi-urban areas. Under this scheme, Central Financial Assistance will be provided exclusively for the construction of new brackish or saline water fish and shrimp ponds. Benefits for the renovation or restoration of pre-existing or old ponds will be provided under a separate state-sponsored scheme.

According to the Department of Fisheries, the unit cost per hectare for white shrimp farming in brackish water has been fixed at ₹14 lakh. Male beneficiaries belonging to the General Category will receive a subsidy of 40 percent, while beneficiaries belonging to Scheduled Castes and women beneficiaries will receive a subsidy of up to 60 percent. Under the scheme, the minimum tenure for a registered lease deed for long-term projects has been set at seven years.

Conversely, for projects involving feed mills, cold storage units, ice factories, biofloc systems, and other structural infrastructure, a registered lease deed with a minimum tenure of 10 years is mandatory. Furthermore, possession of a 'Parivar Pehchan Patra' (Family Identity Card) is a prerequisite for availing the benefits of this scheme. If the beneficiary owns the land, they must also submit land ownership documents as recorded in the state land records. Officials further informed that the Department is also implementing various state-sponsored schemes. These include initiatives for the Scheduled Caste category, such as subsidies on lease rentals for Panchayat-owned ponds (applicable for the first five years) and financial assistance for the purchase of fishing nets.

These Required Documents

District Fisheries Officer Jagdish Chandra stated that applications must be accompanied by the submission of a Birth Certificate, Voter ID Card, Aadhaar Card, Caste Certificate, and a Fisheries Training Certificate. Additionally, it is mandatory to provide details regarding land records, utility bills, receipts, vouchers, photographs of the project site, bank account details, and a PAN Card. The beneficiary is also required to submit a formal agreement/contract executed between themselves and the Department, along with a Detailed Project Report (DPR) or a self-contained project proposal.