Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, during his visit to Baramulla for Public Outreach programme has made operational the Aquarium cum Awareness centre established at Trout Fish Farm Tangmarg for the upcoming summer season.
Union Minster inspected the Trout Rearing Unit Tangmarg and reviewed various Fisheries development schemes and activities being implemented in the district.
He also had an exclusive interactive session with farmers. He distributed fishing material among 39 beneficiaries including 14 women covered under beneficiary oriented schemes of PMMSY.
On the occasion, Union Minister instructed the officers to prepare estimates and submit DPR for upgradation of Fish Farm Bella, Baramulla, which was damaged during the floods of 2014.
Earlier, Union Minister distributed sanction orders amounting Rs. 193.1 lakh in favour of 28 beneficiaries of Baramulla under various components of PMMSY/UT CAPEX scheme Deputy Commissioner, Baramulla was also present during the function.
Union Minister was briefed that fish production in J&K has reached 25.40 thousand tons. The UT has the monopoly of Trout culture and the Trout Production here has reached to 1663 tons.
During the year 2021-22, the department has produced 148 lakh of Trout seed and 14 lakh Trout seed was exported to other cold water states of the country.
For providing working capital to the fishers, the department has sanctioned 696 KCCs in Fisheries Sector. Keeping in view the success of Trout Culture in Private sector, the department has kept Trout fish under One district One Product scheme (ODOP) in Anantnag and Baramulla districts.
The department also contemplates to register Trout Fish products for GI tagging to project UT in the world map as a hub of Trout production, he was further informed.
Union Minister was told that the department is going to implement a project in Fisheries sector with a total cost of Rs. 232.85 crore during the next five years under Holistic Development of Agriculture plan (HADP) with an aim to double the fish production in the UT.
Apart from increasing fish production and productivity, the project envisages creation of direct and indirect employment for about 2.50 lakh youth of UT.
The major technological interventions under the project included introduction of modern Technology of fish culture viz RAS, Biofloc, establishment of feed mill, Hatcheries, Ice plant etc under private sector in a big way besides upgradation and strengthening of Departmental Fish farms to exploit their full potential, he was informed.
To improve the genetic vigour, growth rate and survival of Trout, the department is procuring 100 lakh of genetically improved eyed of Rainbow and Brown Trout under HADP.
Parshottam Rupala emphasized the need of adopting fish farming activity as it can contribute significantly in increasing the farmers’ income in J&K.
While describing the importance of Kashmir region as an epicenter for development of cold water fisheries, Union Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, various steps are being taken up by the Central Government for enhancing the productivity as well income of the fishers and special subsidy component has been kept for the Cold water states/UTs to attract more farmers for adopting this profitable venture.
Union Minister said that farmers would be made more resourceful through implementation of various schemes for marketing of Trout and also for its export to other states to get remunerative prices for their produce.
Appreciating the Department of Fisheries, he said that J&K is the leader in production of Trout and successful implementation of various centrally and UT Sponsored schemes and proposed technological interventions under HADP clearly reflects the pro-farmer approach of the present government in the UT.
Mohammad Farooq Dar, Director Fisheries, Purnima Mittal, Director Animal Husbandry, Kashmir and other senior officers of the department were present on the occasion.