JOIN USSpeaking to Deccan Herald, Assistant Director Rajkumar S Naik said India’s share in global ornamentals fish trade is negligible.
To promote export oriented ornamental fish sector, the MPEDA has launched a scheme for providing financial assistance for establishment of ornamental fish breeding units and scheme for providing financial assistance for establishment of ornamentals fish marketing societies.
The subsidy is given in Grade I, Grade II and Grade III categories.
Under Grade I, maximum financial assistance of Rs 75,000 is given per breeding unit, under grade II, assistance upto Rs 2 lakh will be given and under grade III, financial assistance of Rs 7.5 lakh per unit will be given.
The maximum amount of financial assistance eligible for the three grades of breeding units is limited to 50 per cent of the cost of setting up of the unit, he said. Breeding of high value ornamental fish such as ‘Discus,’ ‘Koi Carps,’ ‘Asian Arrowana,’ marine ornamental fish species and multiple species of common fresh water ornamental fishes can be taken up under Grade III.
Under the scheme, as many as 15 units have been set up under Grade III in the state. The units are set up at Shimoga, Mysore, Bangalore, Dakshina Kannada and so on. The required facilities to be eligible for financial assistance include cement tanks, glass tanks, water supply items, electrical items, water treatment equipment, building for housing the tanks and life saving equipment.
The process of setting up ornamental fish breeding units under MPEDA assistance scheme involves five steps: Issue of advance approval, construction of the unit, submission of final application after the completion of construction and operation of the unit, registration of the breeding unit and release of financial assistance, he said.