All fish farmers in Punjab to be covered under free insurance scheme -Ranike

Chandigarh, April 16, 2015: Giving a big bonanza to all the fish farmers in the state, The Punjab Government would cover them under free insurance for the financial year 2015-16. Disclosing this, Gulzar Singh Ranike Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairy Development minister said that in Punjab there are 8000 fish farmers who would be benefitted under this free insurance scheme.

The Minister said that the free insurance scheme is being executed in collaboration with fishcofed.  The fish farmers would not be charged a single penny for this insurance. The State Government and the Union Government would pay the premium. "During the year 2014-15 Punjab Government has also covered 2571 fish farmers/fish sellers under accidental insurance cover" The Minister added.

Divulging the details, Ranike said that Rs. 2 lakh compensation is provided to the dependents of deceased fish farmers/fish sellers and in case of permanent handicap, the fish farmer would be compensated with Rs. 1 lakh. He said that Rs. 10000 is given for the hospitalization of fish farmer. He said that the premium of this insurance per person per annum is Rs. 20.27 and the Punjab Government is contributing 50 percent of this amount.

He said that the 14 state of the art fish seed farms are being set up in state, out of which 7 fish seed farms would be completed this year till May. He said that these 7 fish seed farms are being set up at Rayke Kalan (Bathinda), Mallwal (Ferozpur), Hayatnagar (Gurdaspur), Dosanjh Nabha (Patiala), Mohi (Ludhiana), Faridkot and Rajasansi (Amritsar). He said that with the motive to give the impetus to the fish farming operations in state, the Punjab Government has arranged special training in fish farming operations from National Fisheries Development Board, Hyderabad, C.I.F.E., Rohtak and Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture, Bhubaneswar.