Patna, Sept. 12: The state fisheries directorate today sent three batches of fish farmers for training to various parts of the country to promote fish farming and increse production in the state.

Animal and fish resources minister Giriraj Singh at the farewell ceremony of what today distributed Rs 30,000 (first instalment) each among fishermen for housing under Fishermen Welfare Scheme and registration certificates among five fish farmers.

A subsidy of Rs 3 lakh was given to Anuj Kumar Sinha for constructing a fish hatchery.

Under the National Fish Development Board, Hyderabad, now the farmers would be getting a subsidy of 40 per cent instead of 20 to develop or construct a hatchery or a pond or any ainfrastructure for fish farming.

Singh said: “We have set a target for the current financial year to send 1,500 fish farmers across the country for training to enhance their skill among which 266 (166 earlier and 100 today) have been already sent to various places. Hundred fish farmers today were sent to Andhra Pradesh, Calcutta and Uttarakhand. Those who had received training earlier have constructed their own hatcheries here. Seventy-one fish hatcheries have been constructed till date.

Singh addressed the fish farmers and said instead of visiting other places and coming back, they should learn skills and train others in the state too. Laying stress on integrated farming, Singh said: “Fish farmers should concentrate on integrated farming to increase production. By use of cow dung in fish farming, feeding cost would be reduced and profits would increase.”

Singh added that by using only fertilisers, production could be enhanced.

Fisheries director Nishat Ahmed said: “Altogether 2,340 fish farmers have been sent out of the state since 2007. We want our farmers to get acquainted with maximum skills and return to train others too. This would increase the production of fishes in the state.”

Vibhay Kumar (Danapur), Brajkishore Singh (Daniyawa), Beena Singh, Anita Devi and Jeera Devi all from Patna Sadar were given registration certificates at the event.