Punjab Women Take 53% of Fisheries Subsidy, Swapping Paddy for Fish and Shrimpਪੰਜਾਬ ਦੀਆਂ ਔਰਤਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਮੱਛੀ ਪਾਲਣ ਸਬਸਿਡੀ ਦਾ 53 ਫ਼ੀਸਦੀ, ਝੋਨੇ ਦੀ ਥਾਂ ਮੱਛੀ ਤੇ ਝੀਂਗਾ

Women are claiming more than half of the central fisheries subsidy paid out in Punjab, as farmers in Jalandhar, Muktsar and Fazilka trade wheat and paddy for fish seed, biofloc tanks and shrimp ponds, according to Punjab Fisheries Department data reported on Thursday, October 8.

How much of the subsidy went to women?

The department says Rs 3,667.08 lakh (about Rs 36.67 crore) has been disbursed in Punjab under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) up to September 2026. Of that, Rs 1,947.96 lakh went to 239 women, or 53 per cent. Women get 60 per cent assistance on specified project costs, against 40 per cent for men in the general category.

Who are the women farmers behind the numbers?

In Bahudinpur village near Jalandhar, Kamal Sahney, an IT graduate settled in Canada, set up 50 biofloc tanks on about 1.25 acres. The project cost around Rs 50 lakh, of which about Rs 30 lakh came as subsidy. She completed her first fish-seed cycle within six months and aims to sell 7-8 lakh seeds in her first year.

At Jaitewali in Jalandhar, biotechnology graduate Ahneer Kaur runs a pond-centred farm that also has vegetables, geese and solar power. In Fazilka, Harmanpreet Kaur bought a refrigerated vehicle with Rs 15 lakh assistance to move shrimp from farms to markets.

Why is shrimp farming spreading in the south-west?

Salinity and waterlogging have made wheat and paddy harder to grow in parts of the south-west. In Inna Khera village of Muktsar, Rupinder Kaur began with four family acres in 2021 and has since expanded shrimp farming to around 35 acres. She says she earns Rs 7-8 lakh a year per acre in profit on 13.5 acres, and she has added shrimp pickle.

Fisheries Department data put Punjab's shrimp area at about 1,120 acres, producing around 2,792 tonnes. Total fish farming covers about 45,156 acres and yields roughly 2.11 lakh tonnes a year.

What does the government say?

Rahul Bhandari, Principal Secretary for Animal Husbandry, Dairy Development and Fisheries, said women's growing role is the most significant change in the sector's profile as the first phase of PMMSY ends in September. He hoped the second phase would be more successful. Fisheries Director Hardev Singh stressed bringing more women into enterprises that earn well from small holdings.

Why does it matter for Punjab's farmers?

Punjab's farm economy has long revolved around wheat and paddy, which strain groundwater. The accounts show small, technology-led holdings and saline land finding a second use, though the profit figures are the farmers' own estimates.

How much subsidy do women farmers get under PMMSY?

Women are eligible for 60 per cent assistance on specified project costs, compared with 40 per cent for men in the general category.

How many women have benefited in Punjab?

Fisheries Department data up to September 2026 show 239 women received Rs 1,947.96 lakh, 53 per cent of the Rs 3,667.08 lakh disbursed.

Where is shrimp farming happening in Punjab?

Mainly in the south-west, including Muktsar and Fazilka, on land hit by salinity and waterlogging. The state has about 1,120 acres under shrimp.