Sources said four centres were being established to provide training to 200 beneficiaries for intensive pisciculture in their renovated ponds. The Board had already released Rs 9.18 lakh in this regard. Three fish markets had already been established in the state and two new markets at Bahadurgarh and Gurgaon would be set up soon, for which the Central government had released Rs 84.64 lakh as hundred per cent grant.

P.V. Singh, Director, Fisheries, said the Haryana government had also implemented an innovative scheme in the state to insure fish farmers of the state, under which about 1,000 Scheduled Caste (SC) families would be benefited during the current financial year. Under the Centrally-sponsored Scheduled Caste Component Plan, the fishermen, fish farmers and persons related with the fisheries trade would be insured, he said, adding that the annual premium of the insurance would be fully borne by the state and the Central government.

In the unfortunate event of death of the insured person, Rs 55,000 would be paid to the dependent of the insured person. In case of disability, an amount of Rs 25,000 would be paid to the insured person.

According to Singh, Haryana-brand fish will be marketed through the new market places to enhance the demand for the fish produced in the state at national level.

A work plan has been prepared to utilise the waterlogged land of the state for fish farming. The number of ponds in the state villages are being increased. For instance, in Sirsa district alone, more than 80 ponds have been dug up under the Rashtriya Sam Vikas Yojna and the National Rural Job Guarantee Scheme, said Singh.