Private fish farming thrives in J-K with help of govt

Anantnag (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], December 15 : Private fish farming has emerged as an interesting means of livelihood for several youths in Jammu and Kashmir.
The fishing industry has greatly increased at a large scale with hundreds of people finding employment in fisheries across the Valley with help from the union territory government.
In Anantnag, three brothers have started a private fish farming business after reaching out to the Department of Fisheries for help.
Ashiq Hussain, owner of a trout fish farm said they received a lot of help from the department in terms of construction, feed and equipment.
"My brothers and I completed our studies but were still unable to find jobs. We approached the department of fisheries and they taught us how to cultivate fish in this way. We received subsidies under the Centre's Rashtriya Kissan Vikas Yojna (RKVY) for construction, feed, and equipment," Hussain told ANI.
He further informed that their fishery also employs six workers, thus generating employment for several others as well.
The avenue is particularly useful for those who already have a good water supply and a small piece of land for the farm.
Mohamad Sharief, the Fisheries Inspector of the department told ANI, "Fish is good for health and for building immunity. The department has started this initiative to help people prosper in this industry. The scheme is most useful for people who have good water supply and feasibility."
"The government gives money for construction and also helps in technical aspects," he added.