Technological Interventions for Fish Seed and Trout Production in UT of J&K (HADP Project 26)

What is HADP Project 26?

Technological Interventions for Fish Seed and Trout Production in UT of J&K is Project 26 of the all-round Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) of the Agriculture Production Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, delivered through the Department of Fisheries.

Jammu and Kashmir is India's principal rainbow trout producer, but the sector has been limited by two bottlenecks: seed and cold chain. Hatchery capacity has been concentrated in a handful of government farms, and fish reaching the market has travelled without ice. Project 26 puts subsidy behind both, private trout hatcheries and raceways on one side, and ice plants, cold storage and refrigerated transport on the other, plus modern Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) and biofloc units that let production continue where water is limited.

Assistance follows a fixed two-rate structure: 50 per cent of unit cost for general applicants and 60 per cent for SC, ST and women beneficiaries.

What are the subsidy rates under HADP Project 26?

Government assistance for cold storage and ice plant projects is paid as per actual cost within the overall ceiling indicated against the sub-component.

Who is eligible for HADP Project 26?

You can apply if:

• You are a domicile of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. This is stated explicitly for the raceway and pond components.
• You hold registered proprietary land, leased land or a valid attorney for the site. Where the land is leased, the lease must run at least 10 years from the date of DPR submission, and the registered lease document must be part of the DPR.
• For a raceway, you have space to create at least 50 cubic metres of rearing space with allied structures for watch and ward and a feed or equipment store, and a dependable perennial source of water.
• For a pond, you have at least 3 kanals of land with a dependable perennial water source.
• You can bring the beneficiary contribution, evidenced by bank consent in the DPR.
• Groups, fisher SHGs, Joint Liability Groups and fisher cooperatives; qualify for higher unit ceilings if they have a minimum of 10 members.

You cannot apply if:

• You are not a domicile of Jammu and Kashmir.
• Your lease runs less than 10 years from the date of DPR submission, or is unregistered.
• You are already availing government assistance for the same project. Every applicant must furnish an undertaking that no other governmental assistance is being taken.
• You cannot show a perennial water source for a raceway or pond.
• You want to claim the SC or ST rate without producing a valid category certificate, which the guidelines require.
• You intend to use a subsidised refrigerated vehicle for non-fisheries purposes — if that is found at any time, the government recovers the entire assistance with interest.

Technical standards you must meet

Trout hatchery

• Minimum capacity of 10 lakh fry per year or 15 lakh eyed ova per year.
• Minimum area of 0.4 hectare, or at least one acre.
• At least four raceways, including brood stock and nursery raceways, plus feeding tank, water channel, electric supply and other infrastructure.
• Managed by qualified, skilled technical manpower.
• Accreditation cost must be included in the project estimate. It is mandatory.
• Eyed ova may be imported for hatching and reared to fry or fingerling stage to keep trout seed available through the year.

RAS units must include a shed or building, store-cum-office, pump house, grow-out tanks with inlet, outlet and central drainage, settling tanks for sludge, sump and overhead tanks, mechanical and bio filters, drum filter, water supply system, pumps and motors, ozone generation, power generator, sludge and solids collectors, UV units, electrification, aeration, a water testing kit and inputs. Permission from Government is mandatory in the case of exotic fish species.

Unit ceilings per beneficiary

• Raceways: 4 for an individual; 20 for an SHG or cooperative with at least 10 members.
• Ponds: 4 for an individual; 2 per member up to 20 per group.
• Large RAS: 1 unit for an individual; 2 units per group or society.
• Medium RAS: 1 unit (4 tanks) for an individual; 2 units (8 tanks) for a group.
• Small RAS or biofloc, or mini RAS: 1 unit per individual; 4 units of small RAS per group; mini RAS at 1 unit per member up to 20 per group.

For FFPOs and FFPCs, the modalities and the upper ceiling on total units are decided by the Central Approval Committee.

How to apply for HADP Project 26

1. Register on the HADP Kisan Sathi portal at hadp.jk.gov.in and open the Project 26 scheme page, then contact the Fisheries office of your district for the current year's targets.
2. Assemble the land and water documents: proprietary record, registered lease of 10 years or more, or valid attorney, and confirm the site has a dependable perennial water source.
3. Prepare the Detailed Project Report or Self Contained Proposal, covering full justification, technical and economic details, the species to be produced, capital cost, recurring cost, the source of funds for your own contribution including bank consent, an undertaking that no other government assistance is availed, anticipated direct and indirect employment for the local population, expected enhancement of fish production, and specific timelines.
4. Attach your SC or ST certificate if you are claiming the 60 per cent rate, and the group registration document if you are applying as an SHG, JLG, cooperative or FFPO.
5. Submit the DPR to the Department of Fisheries office for your district. The final selection is made by the committee designated for the purpose, based on feasibility of the site and other related parameters.
6. Build the unit after sanction, keeping every invoice, and include the cost of mandatory accreditation for a hatchery or feed mill.
7. Call for verification and claim the assistance. Display the permanent board stating that the facility was created with government financial assistance.

Obligations after the unit is built

• Post-construction operation, management and maintenance at the beneficiary's own cost, keeping the facility operational.
• Supply seed, ice or feed at affordable and reasonable prices to fishers and fish farmers.
• Compliance with all government regulations on development, operation, management and quality assurance.
• For a refrigerated vehicle, use only for fish and fisheries-related items; the government recovers the entire assistance with interest if it is used otherwise.
• Maintenance and operational costs of fish transport facilities are entirely the beneficiary's, and the government bears no responsibility for losses on procurement, operation, maintenance or management.

Help and grievance redressal

• Department of Fisheries, district office, for DPR submission and site inspection
• Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department, Jammu: 0191-2505201, email devagri-jk@jk.gov.in
• Agriculture Production and Farmers Welfare Department, Kashmir: 0194-2310265
• HADP portal: hadp.jk.gov.in, including its grievance section
• Daksh Kisan: dakshkisan.jk.gov.in, for free HADP training including fisheries modules

Assistance under Project 26 is released against verified expenditure. No agent can sanction a hatchery or a RAS unit, and every rate above is taken from the Agriculture Production Department's own implementation guidelines.