The benefits of Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) have been extended for the first time to those engaged in pisciculture in Rajasthan for providing short-term loans to them, while covering the cost of establishing the fisheries units and their maintenance.
State Animal Husbandry & Fisheries Minister Lalchand Kataria said here on Monday that over 35,000 livestock rearers had been connected with the KCC following the scheme’s extension to agri-business, dairy farming and fisheries, in addition to the farmers engaged in traditional agriculture.
Credits obtained through KCC will make available funds for purchasing feed for fish, meeting the cost of power and water and payment of wages to the labourers. Mr. Kataria said a campaign had been launched to include more pisciculture unit owners, dairy farmers and animal rearers in the KCC scheme.
Credit limit extension
Those already availing of the scheme’s benefit could get the credit limit of their cards extended, the Minister said.
The productivity from reservoir fisheries in Rajasthan is above the national average, while the breeding and rearing of fish is also done in tanks, ponds and waterlogged areas in the State.