The government is considering expanding saline water aquaculture in northern states including Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, as it looks to repurpose salt-affected farmland for fish farming.
Officials from the Department of Fisheries said saline intrusion in these regions offers an opportunity for land-use optimisation through aquaculture. For FY25, the department has approved projects covering over 263 hectares—exceeding the 200-hectare target—with a budgetary allocation exceeding ₹36 crore.
Aquaculture clusters will be set up in Muktsar Sahib (Punjab) and Sirsa (Haryana) under the initiative.
Meanwhile, under the government’s flagship programme–Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY)–Punjab has attracted investment of ₹187 crore while fish production in the state was 0.18 million tonne (MT) in 2023-24. According to an official note, modern aquaculture practices have added close to ₹500 crore to farmer’s income over the past five years in Punjab.
Abhilaksh Likhi, secretary, Department of Fisheries, during a recent visit to Punjab, highlighted the need for technology-driven fish farming, species diversification, and farmer training to boost rural incomes.
Between 2013–14 and 2024–25, the inland fisheries production rose by more than 142%, rising from 6.1 million tonne to 14.73 MT. Total fish production reached 19.5 MT in FY25, a 104% increase over FY14.