Punjab, with an extensive capacity of nine million acres, holds significant potential for shrimp farming, according to officials. However, progress in the Shrimp Farming Cluster Development Project (2019-24) in the province is hampered by delays in the release of allocated funds by the federal government.
Officials revealed that only a fraction of the earmarked funds has been disbursed to the Punjab Fisheries Department, impacting the project’s momentum. Caretaker Punjab Minister Bilal Afzal received this information during a briefing at the Fisheries Training and Research Institute in Manawan.
Documents indicate that Rs101 million was allocated for the PC-I of the project in the fiscal year 2019-20, but a mere Rs14.268 million was released. Subsequent years witnessed similar discrepancies, with Rs56.896 million released out of Rs661.653 million in 2020-21, Rs143 million out of Rs765.526 million in 2021-22, and Rs145.61 million out of Rs811 million in 2022-23.
Although the government has designated Rs307 million for the ongoing fiscal year, these funds are yet to be released. The Shrimp Farming Cluster Development Project encompasses allocations for shrimp hatcheries, training and capacity building, model shrimp farms, and support for private farms.
Key figures from the Punjab Fisheries Department, including Director General Dr Sikandar Hayat, Aquaculture Director Dr Muhammad Abid, and others, participated in the briefing. Minister Bilal Afzal highlighted plans to establish a shrimp farm on 4,000 acres in Punjab, aiming to involve the private sector by offering incentives for farm establishment. The government is actively formulating an effective policy for project implementation and addressing existing loopholes in relevant laws and rules.
