From Kathua to Kupwara: PMMSY turns into a promising entrepreneurship opportunity for J&K youth

Srinagar, Oct 12: From Kathua to Kupwara, Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), launched in late 2020, is turning out to be a promising entrepreneurship opportunity for the youth in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a span of less than two years, as many as 682 people have been able to generate employment for themselves and for others through the scheme in an evolving fish sector of the union territory.
Across the 20 districts of Jammu and Kashmir, the government has been able to set up 1147 trout hatchery fish farms, 218 trout farms, 71 carp fish units besides a few Recirculated Aquaculture System (RAS) based technology based fishing units, as per the official details reviewed by Rising Kashmir.
A local entrepreneur, Firdous Ahmad, from Shopian said he has three trout fish farms which fetch him around 15-20 lakhs annually.
“In one farm we put 2000 fishes. On an average three fishes form a kilogram, once they grow fully. So, on an average my three farms produce 2000-2500 Kilograms of fish annually,” said Firdous Ahmad, a local.
Another fisheries entrepreneur, Hina Parray in Pulwama says she has not only been able to find a job for herself, but has employed 10 other people at her three units.
“I have two units. I am pleased to see that the fish units help ten other people to earn their bread and butter,” she told Rising Kashmir.
The details provided by the Department of Fisheries further read that a total of 1147 low cost fish farm houses, 218 trout fish units, 71 carp fish units, one trout hatchery farm, 11 Bio-floc and two RAS technology based fish farms have been set up.
The highest number of trout fish farms has been set up in Anantnag which is 25, followed by 22 in Kishtwar, 18 in Srinagar, Baramulla, Doda and Kulgam.
The PMMSY was envisaged to double the income of fish farmers and fishers with a primary focus on sustainable development of the fisheries sector and is a part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat scheme.
Under the scheme, 40 percent of the unit cost is provided for the General category beneficiaries while for ST/SC 60 percent of the cost assistance is provided by the government.
According to Director Fisheries J&K, Irshad Ahmad Shah, J&K produces 80 percent of the total trout fish production in India. “Fisheries is a thriving sector and has a huge scope,” he said.