DC Sachin Gupta instructs to encourage Farmers to Adopt Fish Farming to Boost Income

Rohtak, March 26, 2026: Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta directed officials to actively promote fish farming as a sustainable and high-income livelihood option for farmers in the district. Chairing a review meeting of the Fisheries Department at the Mini Secretariat, he emphasized that diversification into allied sectors like fisheries can significantly enhance farmers’ income.
He instructed the District Fisheries Officer to accelerate efforts for achieving production targets and to expedite the auction process of Panchayati ponds in villages Mayna and Baland, ensuring wider participation of farmers. He also directed that sarpanches be actively involved in the pond allotment process to strengthen transparency and local participation.
The Deputy Commissioner informed that 395 farmers across 120 villages in the district have already adopted fish farming as a source of livelihood. He highlighted that farmers are producing nearly 5500 tonnes of fish annually, even in saline water conditions, demonstrating the strong potential of the sector.
He further stated that fish farming can generate income of up to ₹10 lakh per hectare, making it a highly profitable alternative to traditional agriculture. The Deputy Commissioner also noted that the area under fish farming has increased this year, with an additional 45 acres brought under cultivation, compared to approximately 761 acres last year.
Highlighting government support, he said that farmers belonging to the Scheduled Caste category can avail subsidies up to ₹8.40 lakh, while other farmers can receive up to ₹5.60 lakh for fish farming activities.
The Deputy Commissioner stressed the need for awareness campaigns and field-level engagement to motivate more farmers to adopt fish farming alongside conventional agriculture. He directed officials to ensure that farmers are fully informed about government schemes and technical support available under the Fisheries Department.
The meeting was attended by officials from Agriculture, Fisheries, Soil Conservation and Animal Husbandry departments, who reviewed the progress of various schemes and discussed strategies to expand fish farming in the district.